Earlier this year, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 into law, allotting more than $71 billion for investment in green initiatives, including:

• Clean water programs
• Environmental restoration
• Green infrastructure
• Energy-related projects, such as developing a smart energy grid, energy conservation and weatherization and renewable and alternative energy research and development

A key part of this is funding for coastal restoration projects, with $167 million for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to fund restoration projects. Recently, NOAA announced the projects that will receive stimulus funding.

Nature.org spoke with Bob Bendick, acting director of external affairs, to learn more about The Nature Conservancy projects receiving NOAA funding and what the economic stimulus means to conservation.

Nautre.org: The Nature Conservancy was just selected by NOAA to lead eight coastal restoration projects in the United States—how will these projects restore coastal waters and create jobs?

Bob Bendick: This is part of a $167 million allocation for coastal restoration projects,  such as reef and sea grass restoration, that will be implemented by a broad range of organizations. These projects create important habitat and provide services to people like protection from coastal storms, habitat for fish and shellfish and water purification.

The projects the Conservancy will be leading will create nearly 450 new jobs and more than 500,000 hours of labor to the engineering, project management, contracting, planting and monitoring associated with the projects over the next two to two-and-a-half years.

The projects cover nine states and territories, including Alaska, Alabama, California, Florida, Hawai’i, Louisiana, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia and Washington.

It should be noted that much more could be done. NOAA received over 800 proposals totaling more than $3 billion in requests for restoration funding, yet only $167 million in NOAA funding was available. Clearly there is a need for coastal restoration.


Nature.org: The Nature Conservancy works in all 50 states to protect ecologically important lands and waters. How will this mission be impacted by stimulus funding?

Bob Bendick: In addition to the NOAA funding, a significant amount of stimulus funding is going to environmental restoration efforts that directly support the Conservancy's mission. For example, funding is also going to the Army Corps of Engineers for large-scale ecosystem restoration in the Everglades and repair of the Salmon River in California. These areas are critical habitat for many species.

In upland areas, funds are going for restoring forests to a more natural fire regime and re-creating wetlands.


Nature.org: There’s a lot of talk these days about the growth of “green jobs.” How will investing in the environment significantly stimulate employment?

Bob Bendick: Restoration projects in themselves create jobs on par with other kinds of construction, and such projects support the economy in the long run.

In coastal areas, they sustain commercial and recreational fishing, tourism and the safety of coastal communities.

Away from the coast, they support forest industry, tourism and recreation and management of valuable water resources.

The energy conservation and energy technology portions of stimulus attempt to accelerate investment in a whole new set of industries designed to transition the United States to a low-carbon energy economy with many opportunities for new long-term jobs.


Nature.org: Beyond job creation, what are some of the benefits of the stimulus we should expect to see in the coming months and years?

Bob Bendick: The Conservancy is emphasizing projects that provide ongoing ecosystem services and benefits to human well-being:

• Shellfish reef restoration projects that filter coastal waters and help to shield shorelines from the impacts of waves.
• Inland wetland restoration projects that mitigate floods, store water in times of drought and remove harmful nutrients.
• Forest restoration projects that reduce the chances of catastrophic wildfires.

All of these benefits have real and tangible values to society.

Nature.org: Do you think the passage of the stimulus signals a change in Washington? Should the environmental community expect more federal support in the future?

Bob Bendick: The investments in environmental restoration through the stimulus bill reflect a growing interest in the value of ecosystem services and green infrastructure to our society, particularly in this era of climate change. We are coming to understand that healthy natural systems are often a less expensive — and more effective — way of dealing with climate change and its accompanying hazards than built infrastructure. Of course, The Nature Conservancy’s direct interest in all this is the restoration of habitat for plant and animal species, but it is now clear that these same investments help people as well.

In the case of coastal restoration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) received about $3 billion in proposals from government agencies and non-profit organizations for $167 million in funding. This is a clear indication that society is recognizing the importance of restoration and its benefits.

With respect to energy investment, it appears certain that, through climate legislation and other measures, there will be ongoing federal support for clean energy and energy conservation as a critical step in reducing carbon emissions and attaining greater U.S. energy independence.

Nature.org: Is the stimulus just a temporary fix for the United States’ economic troubles, or will the positive environmental effects be long-term and sustainable?

Bob Bendick: While the stimulus is a one-time injection of money, it is my strong hope that these kinds of green projects will continue to be funded by ongoing programs as they demonstrate their economic and environmental value. While it is unlikely that there will be another single green investment initiative, there are good opportunities for continuing this way of thinking about federal programs:

• The Transportation Bill will be re-authorized in the next year, and there are great opportunities there to build greener infrastructure (and to fix some of the mistakes of the past).
   
• Climate legislation will allocate funding to helping natural systems better withstand the impacts of a warming climate.
   
• Mitigation for all sorts of infrastructure can be accomplished with a better understanding of the needs of whole watersheds and ecosystems—funding can be directed toward projects that offset habitat losses and improve the health of natural systems that have tangible human values

Similarly, it seems clear that our country will continue to invest in alternative energy development.

In these respects, the stimulus bill is not just a one-time expenditure, but a precursor to finding a more sustainable way for Americans to live and for us to restore and protect essential natural habitats for the diversity of life in our country.

Get Involved

Join the Conservancy's online community and you can explore new places, receive email you want and build your own personalized nature page!

Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © Bridget Beesaw (lobstermen in Maine); Photo © Robert Bendick (Robert Bendick).