The San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) and Bay Area partners are developing a framework to quantify baylands resilience through measurable metrics tied to key ecosystem services. This initiative aims to define what constitutes resilience for services such as wildlife support and flood attenuation, translating those concepts into geospatially mappable metrics. By establishing a clear baseline of baylands resilience, this framework enables the tracking of changes over time and informs decision-making for sea-level rise adaptation and ecosystem restoration.

Key components of the framework include the development of resilience metrics like “connectivity within the complete marsh,” “diversity and complexity of channel networks,” and “wave attenuation,” which serve as indicators for ecosystem health and functionality. These metrics are then used to support practical decision-making processes, such as the US Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) Regional Dredged Material Management Plan, to prioritize beneficial use of dredged sediment from San Francisco Bay navigation channels. The mapping of these metrics helps to identify sites for actions such as sediment placement, ranging from existing marshes to potential restoration areas in diked baylands.

By coupling regional context with site-specific design, this framework supports the strategic implementation of nature-based solutions and the broader resilience of bayland habitats. The Baylands Resilience Framework advances a practical approach to baylands resilience, providing tools and quantitative metrics that enhance adaptation efforts and allow community partners to make informed decisions on protecting and enhancing ecosystem services in the San Francisco Bay Area.