Number: 2016-06
WHEREAS, climate change is expected to accelerate sea level rise and result in stronger storms and hurricanes; and
WHEREAS, it is predicted that those extreme weather events will include flooding and storm surges affecting coastal ecosystems far inland, and much farther than today’s high tide line; and
WHEREAS, the combination of higher sea levels and stronger storms and hurricanes will increase the chances of great devastation on tropical islands as well as in coastal ecosystems on the U.S. mainland; and
WHEREAS, coastal wetlands and other tropical island ecosystems are biodiversity hotspots, and therefore many wildlife species (flora and fauna), particularly rare, threatened, and endangered species, may be forced to the brink of extinction if impacted by such natural disasters; and
WHEREAS, U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coastal area ecosystems, Hawaii, and U.S. territories including Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands, are particularly subject to such natural disasters; and
WHEREAS, baseline data on the status of wildlife populations and habitats in many coastal wetland and tropical island ecosystems are often limited; and
WHEREAS, there is also currently a lack of federal support for rapidly assessing impacts to wildlife, including threatened and endangered species, following such natural disasters; and
WHEREAS, knowledge of the status of wildlife populations and their habitats before and after such natural disasters is critical to identifying and executing appropriate response or restoration measures.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation, in its annual meeting assembled on June 16-18, 2016 in Estes Park, Colorado, recognizes the need to provide the best possible opportunity to enhance the resilience of wildlife, particularly threatened and endangered species, that may be at risk from natural disasters within coastal wetlands and other island ecosystems; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation supports efforts of Congress and federal and state conservation and research agencies to enhance funding for and expand upon existing baseline data collection efforts for wildlife, particularly rare, threatened, and endangered species; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation urges Congress and the Administration to undertake efforts to create a policy for rapid impact assessment for wildlife in response to such natural disasters; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation supports collaborative efforts among Congress, the Administration and emergency management and conservation agencies to provide federal mechanisms through which funding and personnel can be made available to assist in assembling emergency ecological rapid impact assessment teams at local levels following natural disaster events to conduct field surveys and collect data on wildlife impacts; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation calls upon emergency management and conservation agencies to utilize such rapid impact assessments to promptly identify and implement appropriate response or restoration activities, particularly where threatened or endangered species have been affected by the natural disaster.