<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.msonormal0, li.msonormal0, div.msonormal0
{mso-style-name:msonormal;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Native Plant Conservation Campaign News: <strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>As hurricanes devastate coastal communities, planners could have saved lives and property by conserving and restoring native plant communities.</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>September 25, 2017<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>There is one aspect of the tragedies of hurricanes Harvey and Irma that has been largely overlooked by the media. Much damage could have been prevented by conservation of natural areas and native plant communities.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Conservation and restoration of native plant communities may be the most cost-effective methods of flood and storm protection. Native plants have repeatedly been shown to be cheaper and work much better than human-made flood control structures such as seawalls, concrete detention ponds and spillways.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>In fact, a 2016 <a href="http://ymlpsend8.com/ybjavaebjwuarauywacaqh/click.php" target="_blank">article in the Houston Chronicle</a> cited the ability of native prairies to weaken and absorb floodwaters. It proposed the creation of “neighborhood greenways” of native plantings as well as “upgrades to Houston’s green infrastructure — its forests, prairies, wetlands, and bays” because these systems “provide cost-effective and efficient ways to help manage [storms and floods] while reducing the need to invest so heavily in traditional structural improvements.”<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>A <a href="http://ymlpsend8.com/ybbadaebjwuaxauywanaqh/click.php" target="_blank">study by the University of California Santa Cruz</a> and others supports this approach. The 2016 study of the impacts of hurricane Sandy found that conservation of coastal marshes and other native plant communities prevented more than $600 million in damage to East Coast communities fortunate (or well-prepared) enough to be near such protected natural areas.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>In short, native plant communities absorb both storm energy and storm water; pavement and rooftops absorb neither.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>The Obama administration attempted to act on these findings. The <a href="http://ymlpsend8.com/ybhaoaebjwuarauywaraqh/click.php" target="_blank">National Seed Strategy</a> allocated funding to NPCC Affiliates <a href="http://ymlpsend8.com/ybwaoaebjwuatauywagaqh/click.php" target="_blank">New Engaland Wild Flower Society</a>, <a href="http://ymlpsend8.com/ybqagaebjwuakauywaiaqh/click.php" target="_blank">North Carolina Botanical Garden</a> and others to propagate local native plants for restoration of coastal wetlands after Hurricane Sandy.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Unfortunately, these proposals and findings were not acted upon by Houston, Florida, or most other hurricane vulnerable areas. In Houston, the largest U.S. city without any zoning laws, wetlands, prairies and other natural areas are being paved at breakneck pace.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>According to the <a href="http://ymlpsend8.com/ybyafaebjwuagauywacaqh/click.php" target="_blank">Washington Post</a>, since 2015, the population of Harris County (Houston and suburbs) has grown 42 percent. As the population grew, the city paved the native plant communities that had served as “natural sponges” during floods. Between 1992 and 2010, 30 percent of the county’s coastal prairie wetlands were paved.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Florida tells a similar tale, according to an article in <a href="http://ymlpsend8.com/yhsavaebjwuarauywanaqh/click.php" target="_blank">the Intercept</a>. Six years ago Governor Rick Scott <a href="http://ymlpsend8.com/yhuapaebjwuazauywacaqh/click.php" target="_blank">cut funding</a> for water management and ecosystem restoration by $700 million and replaced many of the scientists managing wetland programs with more development friendly businesspeople. Around the <a href="http://ymlpsend8.com/yhealaebjwuarauywagaqh/click.php" target="_blank">same time</a>, Scott signed the state legislature’s <a href="http://ymlpsend8.com/yhmacaebjwuavauywagaqh/click.php" target="_blank">repeal</a> of the state’s 1985 growth management law, leading to <a href="http://ymlpsend8..com/yhjafaebjwuaxauywalaqh/click.php" target="_blank">a spike in development</a>. As a result, mangroves forests and wetlands that previously protected the state from storm surges and absorbed floodwaters have been lost, according to the <a href="http://ymlpsend8.com/yhbaraebjwualauywakaqh/click.php" target="_blank">New York Times</a>.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>More Information on native plants and storm protection is available on <a href="http://ymlpsend8.com/yhhaaaebjwuaiauywaaaqh/click.php" target="_blank">the Ecosystem Services section</a> of the <a href="http://ymlpsend8..com/yhwalaebjwuakauywadaqh/click.php" target="_blank">NPCC web page</a>.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>NOTE: The role of accelerating climate change in intensifying these megastorms is another scientific issue that has gotten short shrift from the media. Studies by <a href="http://ymlpsend8.com/yhqanaebjwualauywaxaqh/click..php" target="_blank">Public Citizen</a> and <a href="http://ymlpsend8.com/yhyaxaebjwuaoauywazaqh/click.php" target="_blank">Media Matters</a> found that, with a few exceptions (CNN, Washington Post, Houston Chronicle, NY Times), few media outlets discussed climate change in their hurricane coverage. ABC and NBC made no mention of climate science at all.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>But evidence of worsening storms is mounting and has important implications. According to the <a href="http://ymlpsend8.com/ywsakaebjwuaiauywalaqh/click.php" target="_blank">Washington Post</a>, Harvey was the third "500 year storm" (i.e. a storm so large it is expected to occur only once in 500 years) that has hit Houston in the past <em><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>three </span></em>years.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>What were once 100 or 500 year events may now be expected much more often. <strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Conservation and restoration of native plant communities such as Mangroves, prairies and wetlands must be part of the response.</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Read more about how native plant communities buffer climate change and severe weather. See the new <a href="http://ymlpsend8.com/yhhaaaebjwuaiauywaaaqh/click.php" target="_blank">Storm Section</a> in the NPCC <a href="http://ymlpsend8.com/ywuacaebjwuafauywapaqh/click.php" target="_blank">Ecosystem Services</a> webpage.</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Emil<a href="http://plantsocieties.cnps.org/" target="_blank"></a>y B. Roberson, Ph.D.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://plantsocieties.cnps.org/" target="_blank">Native Plant Conservation Campaign</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="tel:(415)%20531-4439" target="_blank">415 531 4439</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:emilyr@plantsocieties.org" target="_blank">emilyr@</a><a href="mailto:emilyr@plantsocieties.org" target="_blank">plantsocieties.org</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><em><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>The mission of the Native Plant Conservation Campaign is to promote the conservation of native plants and their habitats through collaboration, research, education, and advocacy.</span></em><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><a href="http://signup.ymlpsend8.com/xghwwhjjgmgb" target="_blank">Sign up for NPCC News</a>! </b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/plantsocieties" target="_blank"><b>Like us on Facebook!</b></a> <b><a href="http://plantsocieties.cnps.org/index.php/action-main/donate-to-campaign" target="_blank">Donate</a>!</b><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Please forward this message to any interested individuals or organizations. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><hr size=1 width="50%" noshade style='color:black' align=center></span></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><a href="http://ymlpsend8.com/ughwwhjjgsgqhgjbhuggebqmj" target="_blank"><span style='color:black'>Unsubscribe / Change Profile</span></a> <br><a href="http://ymlpsend8.com/m/" target="_blank"><span style='color:black'>Powered by YMLP</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in'><img border=0 width=1 height=1 style='width:.0104in;height:.0104in' id="_x0000_i1027" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D335E8.5DAC15C0" alt="Image removed by sender. "></span><o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>