Transforming programmatic environmental monitoring into regional policy change requires an unbroken chain of resource-intensive actions: i) the generation of clear objectives and research questions, ii) the creation of study designs that can actually answer those questions, iii) the comprehensive QA/QC and analysis of data, iv) the ethical sharing and housing of datasets, and v) the communication between and among researchers, stakeholders, and policy makers. In this talk, we will draw on specific, actionable examples of solutions from the H2Ohio Wetland Monitoring Program (WMP), a group that spans six research institutes and engages with partners from over 50 organizations to assess and promote nutrient reduction by restored and constructed wetlands in Ohio. We will briefly review common critiques of large-scale environmental monitoring programs, as discussed in recent literature. We will then explain the WMP’s data management and communication policies before focusing on the infrastructure the WMP has built to support flexibility in dynamic funding landscapes. We will end with short examples of successful interventions that were informed by WMP work. With forethought and adaptability, we can build environmental monitoring programs that are impactful, scalable, and resilient.
