BARNSTABLE – At a recent meeting at Mass Audubon’s Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary, state officials released the Biodiversity Conservation Goals for the Commonwealth, an initiative guiding the state’s protection of natural resources over the next 25 years.
The release is the culmination of engagement between the Department of Fish and Game and municipal, tribal, and community partners following the 2023 signing of Executive Order No. 618 by Governor Healey, which sought to establish clear biodiversity goals for 2030, 2040, and 2050.
The plan includes the preservation of 40% of the state’s waters and lands, restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems effected by industrialization, sustainable food practices, and increased public outreach and investment in green public spaces such as community gardens.
“Biodiversity – the abundance and variety of life – is the foundation for life. Despite its critical value, it is declining at an unprecedented rate,” said Commissioner of the Department of Fish and Game Tom O’Shea.
“It’s a quiet crisis,” he said, “in just one generation, we have lost over 3 billion birds in North America, seen the decline of iconic species like Atlantic Cod, and rarely see once common and beloved wildlife like the monarch butterfly in our backyards.”
“We are responsible for caring for the land and waters that sustain us,” said Falmouth State Senator Dylan Fernandes. “This plan lays out a clear path to protect and restore our natural resources while building a stronger, more resilient economy.”
“Together, we can work toward a Commonwealth that is healthier, more sustainable, and ready for the future.”
The event also saw the announcement that the state would join the International Union for Conservation of Nature, making it the first state in the union to do so, and a $4 million investment toward establishing a Local Biodiversity Grant Program to help tribes, municipalities, nonprofits, and community organizations fund conservation projects.
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