Number: 1999-03
WHEREAS, the lower Mississippi River Basin historically featured approximately 21 million acres of unique bottom and hardwood forests and associated wetland wildlife habitats; and
WHEREAS, the biologically rich region of Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi encompasses 96 percent of the remaining forested wetlands along the Mississippi River, but, due to tremendous losses in the past century, only 4.5 million acres remains of the original natural bottomland ecosystem; and
WHEREAS, much of this loss can be attributed to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ practice of altering the natural hydrology of the region in the interest of flood control and economic development; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is continuing to promote expensive projects designed to alter natural flood plains and channels, and that will provide limited benefits to relatively few people while causing significant losses of fish and wildlife habitat; and
WHEREAS, these projects are not only in conflict with the current scientific consensus on watershed and flood plain management, but also are out of step with other federal policies and initiatives that encourage greater reliance on non-structural approaches to flood management and restoration of critical watersheds; and
WHEREAS, if the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ program in the lower Mississippi Basin is not changed, the results will be continued environmental degradation, the destruction of internationally recognized wetlands, lost opportunities for watershed and habitat restoration, and the wasteful expenditure of hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars; and
WHEREAS, the National Wildlife Federation has the opportunity to assume leadership in this region to protect internationally significant wetlands and forest, to affect national policy related to flood control and water resources management, and to assist affiliates and other conservationists who have long opposed these projects;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation in its Annual Meeting assembled March 18-21, 1999, in Houston, Texas, opposes flood control, navigation, irrigation, and other projects in the lower Mississippi River Basin that are environmentally and economically unsound and will cause unnecessary habitat destruction and water quality degradation; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that NWF supports the conservation and enhancement of the natural riparian ecosystems of the region on both public and private lands; encourages the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to request appropriations for and redirect funds to environmental restoration projects, including reforestation, in the lower Mississippi River Basin; and encourages governmental agencies at all levels and the public to effect long-term systematic changes in watershed and water management programs toward measures that will recognize optimal flood control, water quality, wildlife habitat and economic benefits by preserving and restoring natural hydrological functions.