The Economic Case for Restoring Coastal Ecosystems
A new report by the Center for American Progress and OXFAM America found that investing in coastal restoration can be highly cost effective. Each dollar invested by taxpayers returned more than $15 in net economic benefits across the three restoration projects studied: one was part of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project, an effort by the State Coastal Conservancy and many others to restore 15,100 acres in South San Francisco Bay. The economic benefits include buffering storm surges; safeguarding coastal homes and businesses; sequestering carbon and other pollutants; creating nursery habitat for commercially and recreationally important fish species; and restoring open space and wildlife that support recreation, tourism, and the culture of coastal communities.
The report concludes with recommendations for future action, including:
- Federal, regional, and private-sector entities should increase their investment in coastal ecosystem restoration projects and fund ongoing monitoring of previously restored areas.
- Federal, regional, state, and local coastal planners should give greater weight to natural solutions such as coastal wetlands restoration to protect at-risk developed areas.
Latest News
- Press Release: Coastal Conservancy Awards over $40 million for coastal access, restoration, and climate resilienceOakland, CA (4/18/2024) – Today, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy approved grants totaling over $40 million for coastal access, restoration, and climate resilience. Among the grants awarded today are: A grant of up to $6,000,000 to Humboldt County Resource Conservation District to undertake the North Coast Wildfire Resilience Planning and Implementation Grant Program, which […] (Read more on Press Release: Coastal...)
- Sea Otter Recovery Grants RFP Now Open!The California State Coastal Conservancy announces the availability of grants to public agencies, tribes and nonprofit organizations for projects that facilitate the recovery of the southern sea otter along California’s coasts. The California Sea Otter Fund is one of the state’s tax check-off funds that allows taxpayers to voluntarily contribute to the recovery of California’s […] (Read more on Sea Otter Recovery...)
- Coastal Conservancy Public Meeting in Oakland – April 18Meeting Notice Douglas Bosco (Public Member), Chair Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš (Public Member), Vice Chair Joy Sterling (Public Member) Jeremiah Hallisey (Public Member) Wade Crowfoot, Secretary for Natural Resources; Bryan Cash and Jenn Eckerle (Designated) Caryl Hart, Coastal Commission Chair; Madeline Cavalieri (Designated) Joe Stephenshaw, Director, Department of Finance; Michele Perrault (Designated) Senate Representatives Benjamin Allen (District […] (Read more on Coastal Conservancy Public...)