Whether tributary habitat improvements have achieved, or are likely to achieve, the goal ofrecovering conditions favoring the natural production of native salmonids in the Columbia RiverBasin is an open question, and a review of the approaches, assessment procedures, andimplementation strategies for habitat improvement is therefore timely. In this report, the ISAB examinesseveral topics central to the recovery of tributary habitat: (1) the biological objectives related tohabitat recovery, (2) the strategies for implementing restoration; (3) the incentives forimplementing restoration; (4) the scientific foundation for habitat recovery; and (5) monitoringand evaluation. The objective of the review is to answer the question: What concepts andstrategies should be incorporated in habitat recovery actions to improve their chances forsuccess?