Project monitoring and evaluating is essential for determining the success of a project. Each project must have a monitoring and evaluation plan that will be the responsibility of the project sponsor. Monitoring information should be maintained by the project sponsor and available as a tool to assist with the planning and implementation of future projects. Considerations for monitoring and evaluation are:
- Identify the problem and define monitoring and evaluation objectives.
- Prioritize and determine what data are necessary to measure restoration effects.
- Develop a standardized (practical) monitoring method and schedule (at a minimum) a two and five year schedule.
- File a monitoring plan with the appropriate managing agency.
- Describe environmental conditions during the treatment (i.e., weather, special circumstances, equipment malfunctions) that might have had an effect on meeting project goals.
- Establish monitoring locations on treated sites and adjacent untreated control sites for future reference.
- Describe what was successful or might be done differently during the treatment to maximize restoration efforts and cost effectiveness.
- Describe conditions or locations that may need closer monitoring (i.e., erosion or noxious weed invasion concerns immediately after the treatment).
