Protecting and Restoring Coastal Ecosystems

Our coastal areas are under constant development pressure, suffer from pollution, and face new challenges brought on by climate change, including sea level rise, ocean warming, and acidification.

The National Wildlife Federation currently has a strong program working with partners on the restoration of the coastal wetlands of the Mississippi River Delta, on the ecological restoration of the Gulf of Mexico in the aftermath of the 2010 BP oil disaster, and on coastal resilience along the Atlantic Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. We plan to expand this work with the long-term goal that coastal ecosystems are managed to reduce impacts of climate change and other coastal hazards in ways that protect coastal communities, economies, and important fish and wildlife habitat.

The National Wildlife Federation's goal, as laid out in our strategic plan, is to protect and restore coastal ecosystems to sustain fisheries and wildlife and to protect people and wildlife from rising sea levels and intensifying coastal storms. We plan to do this by:

• Accelerating restoration of large-scale coastal ecosystems and estuaries to reestablish their natural functioning and enhance their ability to adapt to sea-level rise.
• Expanding the use of nature-based coastal features, such as restored dunes, wetlands, and living shorelines, to reduce risks to people and wildlife from sea-level rise and extreme storms.
• Reforming flood insurance and disaster preparedness/response programs to reduce development in flood-prone areas and focus mitigation measures on nature-based approaches to natural hazard risk reduction.
• Advancing federal, state and private actions to protect coastal and near-shore marine ecosystems, including marine canyons.