A wetland in the Croatan National Forest in eastern North Carolina. Wetlands help offset the damaging effects of climate change. (Photo: Lisa Sorg)
Last week Governor Roy Cooper hosted Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan at The Nature Conservancy’s Green Swamp Preserve to announce EPA’s historic $421 million grant to North Carolina and three surrounding states, dedicated to the protection and restoration of wetlands, forests and coastal habitats. This investment will play an essential role in preserving our state’s most treasured natural spaces and should be celebrated by all. These types of natural solutions to addressing the impacts of our changing climate often don’t receive as much attention as solutions we’re addressing in our power and transportation sectors, but they are critically important to achieving our overall climate resilience objectives.
From the rugged Blue Ridge mountains to the vast forests, marshes and sandy coastlines, North Carolinians treasure our wild landscapes and appreciate the value and benefits they provide. The EPA’s grant — the largest federal grant that the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources has ever received — will reforest 55,000 acres of land and restore 33,000 acres of wetlands and coastal habitats in North Carolina, among other initiatives.
Protection of these ecosystems will, in turn, protect North Carolina families and communities. Wetlands have an incredible ability to slow down and absorb floodwaters. During hurricanes and storms, they provide people and property with natural protection against flooding, which is the costliest type of disaster in the United States. Healthy wetlands are also more resilient and less expensive to maintain when compared to grey infrastructure like dams or sea walls.
Additionally, wetlands, forests and coastal habitats are home to our state’s diverse wildlife and enable us to take part in hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation, which are important to North Carolina’s culture and contribute to our economy. The EPA’s investment will also advance other statewide environmental initiatives and better position existing investments for success.
One example is Governor Cooper’s February 2024 executive order to preserve one million acres of land, restore an additional million acres and plant one million urban trees by 2040. Another is the Flood Resiliency Blueprint , working to build resilient communities equipped to reduce and manage flood risk and vulnerabilities. The EPA’s grant will help make these initiatives more likely to succeed and, as a result, offer a better return on the state’s investment.
In addition to North Carolina, the grant will fund work in South Carolina, Virginia and Maryland. Each state will receive $50 million, and $200 million will go to The Nature Conservancy to fund projects in all four states.
Distributing funds to neighboring states benefits North Carolina since watersheds, which can include both wetlands and coastal habitats, don’t have state lines. What happens to a watershed upstream will impact the health and resilience of our habitats downstream. For North Carolina to receive benefits like flood protection, biodiversity and economic value, protecting habitats in our neighboring states is essential, too.
As an environmentalist dedicated to building resilience in my home state, I’m grateful to all of our federal and state leaders who have demonstrated their dedication to conserving North Carolina’s natural resources. No matter what side of the political spectrum you sit on, protecting our state’s forests, wetlands, and other natural treasures and their enumerable benefits is a win that will allow our communities to thrive today and into the future.
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