You are here:
DELAWARE ESTUARY A MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE DELAWARE ESTUARY
Citation:
DELAWARE ESTUARY A MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE DELAWARE ESTUARY. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., 1996.
Description:
Wise conservation and management of the Delaware Estuary is arguably the most important cooperative environmental initiative ever jointly undertaken by the States of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. While much has been accomplished over the past few decades to improve water quality and provide adequate supplies of water to the people who live, work, and play in the Delaware Estuary watershed, much remains to be done. Addressing these threats presents both challenges and opportunities, and will require a multi-state effort, participation by all levels of government, and citizen support and commitment to the stewardship of the Estuary. The Delaware Estuary Program is dedicated to facilitating these efforts. In the past few years there has been a dramatic shift in the way people throughout the world think about their environment. Publication of the first color photograph of Earth from space provided a dramatic picture of a small blue planet and heightened international awareness of the vulnerability of its natural resources and the need for careful stewardship of those resources. An increased awareness and understanding of global environmental problems -- resource depletion, loss of biological diversity, toxics contamination, and sea level rise -- have forced us to acknowledge that our collective actions threaten ecological systems. These emerging problems have also forced us to re-evaluate our management of ecological systems. We now understand that regionwide management approaches, those that emphasize integrated strategies across political boundaries, offer the greatest potential for effective restoration and protection of ecosystems and protection of human health. We realize that in addition to targeting the protection of specific resources, such as air, land, or water, it is necessary to take a broader approach and protect the systems of which those resources are interdependent parts. The approach embodied in this Plan couples this global perspective and watershed management approach to address environmental and economic issues that are specific to the Delaware Estuary. The Estuary is faced with continuing threats from toxic substances, habitat loss end fragmentation, and human development. This approach does not result in a new centralized program that competes with or replaces existing programs; rather it provides a framework and new focus for effective integration of ongoing management activities. The emerging global public consciousness has also produced a conservation ethic -- we recognize the folly of resource consumption without active replenishment and recycling efforts. This ethic will require a societal reshaping of the relationship between economics and the environment in "sustainable development" terms, rather than in terms of "environment versus development". Sustainable development, according to the United Nation's World Commission on Environment and Development, is "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". This means improving the quality of human life, while living within the carrying capacity of supportive ecosystems. Until recently, resource protection often focused on saving a single animal or plant species, or a single river, in a specific place. We now realize that while individual species and resources are important, their role as a part of an ecosystem is what determines their value. We must preserve the integrity of the system. This evolution toward the preservation of ecological systems, as a primary conservation ethic, is driving a parallel philosophy of sustainable development: how can we nurture vibrant, healthy, and equitable communities that can be sustained by natural resources and systems without destroying or degrading them and compromising quality of life in the future? Fundamental tenets of sustainable development include: A long-term perspective for planning and policy development that harmonizes public and private, environment and development, and community and regional interests. Integration of environmental (health and ecosystem) protection and economic development in policy and decision-making at all levels. Intra- and intergenerational equity, supporting environmental justice for people living now, equity for future generations, and consideration of cultural heritage. The Delaware Estuary Program, as an advocate of sustainable development, will take responsibility to: 1) provide for widespread participation in decisions that affect the Estuary; 2) develop and clearly articulate programs and actions that will be mutually beneficial to both the economy and the environment of the watershed; 3) forge partnerships with industry, commerce, and local governments in pursuit of the economic viability of the region and an improved quality of life; and 4) enhance and preserve the Estuary's living and natural resources. We recognize that public involvement and education are the cornerstones of resource protection and sustainable development in the Delaware Estuary watershed. Our recommendations in this Plan, no matter how extensive and farsighted, will not succeed unless they and their rationale capture the imagination, attention, and concern of the public at large.