Restoring surf and turf: Transferable lessons between marine and terrestrial restoration

Environmental degradation is accelerating worldwide, prompting unprecedented investments into ecosystem restoration. However, restoration science and practice are often siloed between marine and terrestrial systems despite facing similar environmental stressors and restoration challenges. Deliberate and reciprocal cross-system knowledge sharing of successful strategies and approaches could facilitate new restoration pathways and improve outcomes across both sides of the land-water divide. To that end, we draw upon examples across a range of ecosystems from coral reefs to alpine forests to describe a series of transferable lessons between terrestrial and marine restoration. Lessons identified from terrestrial restoration emphasize developing scalable nurseries, considering substrate preparation, and harnessing successional processes, while lessons from marine restoration include leveraging natural connectivity, planning for climate resilience, and embracing environmental fluctuations. Though not comprehensive, these lessons are representative of the wealth of knowledge that is transferable beyond any single system. We encourage future efforts to utilize a land-to-sea approach to restoration that centers cross-system learning and collaboration, embracing the connections between marine and terrestrial systems and the shared challenges they face. • Marine and terrestrial systems face similar stressors and restoration challenges. • However, knowledge sharing between marine and terrestrial systems is underutilized. • We compile six transferable lessons between marine and terrestrial restoration. • These lessons should spur future discussions and inform new restoration projects. • Future restoration efforts should prioritize cross-system learning and collaboration.