40th Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers

WHEREAS, the  New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers have shown international leadership through their  collective action to address environmental protection and climate change,  especially through work to expand use and production of renewable energy and  other efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and

WHEREAS, the region's economy, culture, and  identity are closely tied to and dependent upon its forests and water  resources; and

WHEREAS, the  region's cities and towns, infrastructure, and natural ecosystems are vulnerable to adverse  impacts from climate change. Jurisdictions region-wide are taking steps to adapt  to a changing climate, by making communities, infrastructure, and public  investments more resilient; and

WHEREAS, the New England  Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers recognize the inherent connection  between the region's forested landscape and its forest products economy, and  the important role that private forest landowners play in the health and condition  of its forests; and

WHEREAS, the Northern Appalachian-Acadian  forest is globally significant as  the most intact, contiguous temperate broadleaf forest in the world. The Northeastern coastal forest, including the  coastal plain, and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence lowland forest provide a vital  link for neotropical migrants of global significance. Boreal forests are globally important for millions of resident and migratory birds, including songbirds which depend on Boreal forests during different stages of their  lifecycles. Together,  these forests span portions of all six New England states and five eastern  Canadian provinces. Global  climate change is a prominent threat to the long-term health of these vital ecosystems. The spread of invasive species and wildlife  disease, often exacerbated by global climate change, is another key threat; and

WHEREAS, Indigenous people historically have a  strong connection to the land, and in the present day continue to recognize the  traditional importance of a healthy environment to the social well-being  and economic prosperity for future generations; and

WHEREAS, maintaining  and restoring ecological connectivity is an  important strategy for boosting the resilience of the region's native ecosystems  and biodiversity, as well as its economy and human communities. Connected  habitats provide the natural pathways necessary for fish, wildlife, and plants  to move to meet their life needs and to find suitable habitat as climate  conditions change. Intact ecosystems also provide sustainable economic and  social benefits on which the region's well-being depends – including renewable forest  products, outdoor recreation and tourism, clean air and water, flood  attenuation, carbon sequestration, and our “sense of place;” and

WHEREAS, transportation  infrastructure, essential to the region's economic  growth, can be designed and sited to ensure habitat connectivity for both  terrestrial and aquatic species. Infrastructure that is appropriately sized and  designed for terrestrial and aquatic habitat connectivity as the climate  changes also brings significant public safety, economic, and climate resiliency  benefits to communities. These include reduced risk of wildlife-vehicle  collisions, decreased risk of flood damage and associated costs, safer and more  reliable transportation networks, and enhanced water quality through avoided stream  crossing failures (i.e., culverts and bridges); and

WHEREAS, our  region's forests and water resources cross provincial, state, and national borders. Effective action to sustain  these assets, along with the invaluable ecosystem goods and services they  provide, requires collaboration across borders; and

WHEREAS, sustaining  and restoring connected ecosystems requires a multi-faceted approach that includes  development and application of sound science, targeted land conservation,  sustainable land and water management, policy solutions, improved  transportation infrastructure, outreach and engagement with key constituencies,  and thoughtful land use planning; and

WHEREAS, multiple  cross-border, public-private partnerships are  actively working to sustain intact, connected ecosystems in this region.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE  IT RESOLVED THAT the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers  recognize the importance of ecological connectivity for the adaptability  and resilience of our region's ecosystems, biodiversity, and human communities  in the face of climate change; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers  acknowledge the need to work across landscapes and borders to advance efforts  to restore and maintain ecological connectivity; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers instruct agencies within their  jurisdictions to elevate ecological connectivity, conservation, and restoration  in their activities. These agencies are further instructed to encourage  regional collaboration, as appropriate, in order to identify priority  connectivity zones that connect and expand existing protected areas and to  mobilize and apply resources most effectively; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers  advise agencies within their jurisdictions to support land protection and  planning efforts that maintain and improve connectivity, and to promote the  sustainable management of public and private lands and aquatic systems that  further these objectives; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the  New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers instruct transportation and  natural resource agencies to explore opportunities to develop, modify, and  expand federal, state, and provincial transportation enhancement and  designation programs in order to improve habitat connectivity; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers  instruct transportation and natural resource agencies in each jurisdiction to  collaborate in helping to identify the appropriate design and size of  transportation infrastructure for movement of terrestrial and aquatic wildlife,  as well as changes in precipitation and peak flow rates projected under climate  change. This will help achieve other critical benefits including improved water  quality and flood resiliency; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers  encourage land use planning entities at all levels, especially municipalities,  to incorporate habitat connectivity objectives in land use planning and  policies; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the  New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers direct officials to  collaborate, where possible, to document the current state of forest and  habitat connectedness in individual jurisdictions and the region. States and  provinces sharing habitats should collaborate, where possible, to develop  regional work plans to identify and address potential issues and collaborative solutions;  and

BE IT FURTHER  RESOLVED THAT the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers  commit, where possible, to pursue collective efforts to control the invasion of  exotic species and the spread of wildlife diseases by sharing information and  best practices to protect the region's biodiversity and preserve the health of  its forested and aquatic ecosystems; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian  Premiers encourage agencies within their jurisdictions to collaborate to promote  the vitality of the region's forested landscape and associated economy, including  the forest products industry; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers  request the Committee on the Environment to form a working group through the 44th  Annual NEG/ECP Conference in 2020. The working group should coordinate these  efforts and report back to the Coordinating Committee Officials at least every  two years on current and planned activities supportive of the goals of this  Resolution.

Adopted at the 40th  Annual Conference of the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers,  Boston, Massachusetts, August 29, 2016