Steve W
07-02-2004, 02:05 PM
“For years, our nation has sought to slow the loss of wetlands. Now I believe we must change that goal to one that says, we'll have an overall increase in wetlands every year. Instead of just reducing loss, the goal of this country must be to increase wetlands.
To accomplish this objective, my administration will work to restore, to improve, and to protect at least three million acres of wetlands over the next five years. First part of the strategy is to restore at least one million acres of wetlands that do no exist today.
Through expanded incentive and partnership measures, such as the Department of Agriculture's Wetland Reserve Program, and through new grants under the Interior Department's North American Wetlands Conservation Act, we can expand wetlands.
The idea is to provide incentives and grant money to allow wetlands to return where they once existed. And it's possible to do so. It's very feasible to do so. We can provide incentives, for example, to farmers and ranchers to stop cultivating areas that were once wetlands. And we will do just that. This is a common-sense way of expanding the wetlands across America.
Secondly, we will improve the quality of another million acres of existing wetlands through expanded public-private efforts, such as the Interior Department's Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, as well as the use of NOAA's Coastal Wetlands Planning Protection and Restoration Program.
You see, too many wetlands are degraded and can no longer support healthy wildlife populations. So they need to be restored. And that's what this aspect of the strategy will do. Mother Nature can't do it itself. Mother Nature can't retake the land unless there's a little help from us.
And so the second phase is to make sure that the wetlands that have been degraded are revitalized and restored. It sounds simple, but it's hard work, and it requires federal government support. And I'm willing to dedicate that support because I understand how important wetlands are.
Third, we'll protect an additional one million acres of wetlands that are currently at risk by increasing grants for land protection programs and by making it easier for farmers and other landowners to participate in these programs.
We'll encourage landowners to place easements on their wetlands, on the wetland portion of their property. That'll help migratory birds find nesting areas. That'll be good for the ducks. That'll be good for other birds that are traveling long distances in their winter -- on their winter flights.
It is vital that there be good education, but it's vital that there also be good incentive programs to remind landowners about a responsibility that they have, and the capacity to make a difference in the wildlife of our country.
By the way, Laura and I are doing our bit by restoring natural grasses to our ranch. She wants to become a Little Blue Stem grass seed distributor so that others will grow native grasses. It's amazing what happens when we restored our little part of heaven to native grasses. Bobwhite Quail are returning. Birds are showing up that we hadn't seen before. Its a fantastic experience. Its the same thing you are doing here, and its the same concept we’ve got to do to encourage others who own their land, to understand the incredible opportunity they have to make a vital contribution to the wetlands of our country and to the environmental prosperity of our country, as well.
To meet the goal of wetland expansion we’ve got to commit money, of course. You just can’t lay out a goal unless you’re willing to support it. And my administration is prepared to do so, as I said. We did a good thing in the Farm Bill, the 2002 Farm Bill, which is still in place. One of the most important aspects of the Farm Bill was the conservation title. It was a strong expansion of federal money available to encourage farmers to expand areas on their farms, like wetlands. It is an important part of meeting this national goal.
As well, I’ve sent a budget up to Congress that proposes a $349 million expenditures on two key wetlands programs, which, by the way, is an increase of 50 percent since 2001. In other words, were going to help people restore wetlands. Its in our national interest we do so, and its an important priority that we get it done.
Citizens have an important part -- a role to play in this, as well, and that’s -- its really important for those of us in positions of responsibility to remind people that you can’t have good environmental stewardship if you rely solely on the federal government.”
Taken from the President's Earth Day speech, April 23, 2004
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/04/20040423-8.html
To accomplish this objective, my administration will work to restore, to improve, and to protect at least three million acres of wetlands over the next five years. First part of the strategy is to restore at least one million acres of wetlands that do no exist today.
Through expanded incentive and partnership measures, such as the Department of Agriculture's Wetland Reserve Program, and through new grants under the Interior Department's North American Wetlands Conservation Act, we can expand wetlands.
The idea is to provide incentives and grant money to allow wetlands to return where they once existed. And it's possible to do so. It's very feasible to do so. We can provide incentives, for example, to farmers and ranchers to stop cultivating areas that were once wetlands. And we will do just that. This is a common-sense way of expanding the wetlands across America.
Secondly, we will improve the quality of another million acres of existing wetlands through expanded public-private efforts, such as the Interior Department's Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, as well as the use of NOAA's Coastal Wetlands Planning Protection and Restoration Program.
You see, too many wetlands are degraded and can no longer support healthy wildlife populations. So they need to be restored. And that's what this aspect of the strategy will do. Mother Nature can't do it itself. Mother Nature can't retake the land unless there's a little help from us.
And so the second phase is to make sure that the wetlands that have been degraded are revitalized and restored. It sounds simple, but it's hard work, and it requires federal government support. And I'm willing to dedicate that support because I understand how important wetlands are.
Third, we'll protect an additional one million acres of wetlands that are currently at risk by increasing grants for land protection programs and by making it easier for farmers and other landowners to participate in these programs.
We'll encourage landowners to place easements on their wetlands, on the wetland portion of their property. That'll help migratory birds find nesting areas. That'll be good for the ducks. That'll be good for other birds that are traveling long distances in their winter -- on their winter flights.
It is vital that there be good education, but it's vital that there also be good incentive programs to remind landowners about a responsibility that they have, and the capacity to make a difference in the wildlife of our country.
By the way, Laura and I are doing our bit by restoring natural grasses to our ranch. She wants to become a Little Blue Stem grass seed distributor so that others will grow native grasses. It's amazing what happens when we restored our little part of heaven to native grasses. Bobwhite Quail are returning. Birds are showing up that we hadn't seen before. Its a fantastic experience. Its the same thing you are doing here, and its the same concept we’ve got to do to encourage others who own their land, to understand the incredible opportunity they have to make a vital contribution to the wetlands of our country and to the environmental prosperity of our country, as well.
To meet the goal of wetland expansion we’ve got to commit money, of course. You just can’t lay out a goal unless you’re willing to support it. And my administration is prepared to do so, as I said. We did a good thing in the Farm Bill, the 2002 Farm Bill, which is still in place. One of the most important aspects of the Farm Bill was the conservation title. It was a strong expansion of federal money available to encourage farmers to expand areas on their farms, like wetlands. It is an important part of meeting this national goal.
As well, I’ve sent a budget up to Congress that proposes a $349 million expenditures on two key wetlands programs, which, by the way, is an increase of 50 percent since 2001. In other words, were going to help people restore wetlands. Its in our national interest we do so, and its an important priority that we get it done.
Citizens have an important part -- a role to play in this, as well, and that’s -- its really important for those of us in positions of responsibility to remind people that you can’t have good environmental stewardship if you rely solely on the federal government.”
Taken from the President's Earth Day speech, April 23, 2004
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/04/20040423-8.html