Call for Proposals: Thinking Big by Advancing Large-Scale Restoration
By: Brad Williamson, Government Affairs and Communications Manager
As projects grow in size and scope, so to do the challenges – requiring more partners, jurisdictional approval, stakeholders, resources, and most importantly, funding. For all their difficulty, management of large-scale restoration projects creates countless opportunities for collaboration to address some of the most complex problems in coastal restoration. Watersheds, estuaries, and coastlines don’t follow political boundaries — and neither can the strategies needed to protect and restore them.
That’s why the 2026 Coastal & Estuarine Summit is proud to feature a dedicated Large-Scale Restoration & Management proposal track focused on advancing regional, collaborative approaches that deliver lasting, system-wide impact.
This focus area will highlight the strategies, partnerships, and innovations that make landscape-scale work possible. Sessions may explore:
- Regional and watershed-scale restoration strategies
- Partnerships across state, local, Tribal, and federal entities
- Governance structures and collaborative decision-making models
- Innovative financing and funding mechanisms
- Managing political, logistical, and ecological risks at scale
- Adaptive management and long-term monitoring
- Lessons learned from implementation — including what didn’t work
We’re especially interested in candid, practical insights that others can learn from and apply.
Share What You’ve Learned
Large-scale initiatives often involve years of coordination, relationship-building, and problem-solving. The knowledge gained through that process is invaluable to the broader restoration community.
By presenting at the Summit, you can:
- Share replicable models and best practices
- Highlight innovative partnerships or governance approaches
- Connect with potential collaborators and funders
- Help shape how future large-scale investments are designed and delivered
- Contribute to a national conversation about what it takes to scale impact
Whether your work spans an entire watershed, multiple states, or a regional estuary system, your experience can help others move from isolated projects to coordinated, landscape-level change.
What Makes a Strong Proposal?
We welcome proposals that feature:
- Case studies of regional or multi-jurisdictional programs
- Funding or financing innovations that unlocked implementation
- Tribal co-management or cross-sector partnerships
- Scaling pilot projects into broader programs
- Policy, permitting, or governance solutions
- Honest lessons learned and course corrections
Both successes and challenges are valuable — some of the most meaningful insights come from navigating obstacles.
Submit your proposal here: https://estuaries.org/2026-summit-call-for-proposals/
Join the Conversation
The future of coastal restoration depends on our ability to think bigger, collaborate more effectively, and design solutions that match the scale of the challenges we face.
If you’re leading, supporting, or studying large-scale restoration or management efforts, we encourage you to submit a proposal and share your story at the 2026 Coastal & Estuarine Summit.
Together, we can accelerate the partnerships and approaches that create lasting change for our coasts, bays, and estuaries.
Registration for the 2026 RAE Coastal & Estuarine Summit opens April 13.
