Investing in nature: Restoring coastal habitat blue infrastructure and green job creation |
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| Institution: | 1. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Habitat Conservation, SSMC3 Room 14000, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA;2. IM Systems Group, Inc., Rockville, MD 20852, USA;3. Earth Resources Technology, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA;4. Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459, USA;1. US Forest Service, Southern Research Station, 3041 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA;2. Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, 228 Cheatham Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA;3. Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, Box 8008, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8008, USA;4. US Forest Service, Southern Region, 1720 Peachtree Road, NW, Atlanta, GA 30309, USA;5. US Forest Service, Southern Research Station, 1577 Brevard Road, Asheville, NC 28806, USA;6. 1004 Crooked Oak Rd, Summerville, SC 29485, USA;7. Departamento de Silvicultura, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile;8. US Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA;1. Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-FLORES), United Nations University, 01067, Dresden, Germany;2. Institute of Soil Science and Site Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Technische Universität Dresden, 01737, Tharandt, Germany;3. Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, 100091, Beijing, China;1. School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, 135 Xingang Xi Road, 510275 Guangzhou, China;2. Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, 135 Xingang Xi Road, 510275 Guangzhou, China;1. Department of Geography, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, SAR, China;2. School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China;3. Department of Social Sciences, Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, SAR, Hong Kong, China;4. Environmental and Resource College, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310029, China;1. MaREI ERI, University College Cork (UCC), Ireland, UK;2. Aquabiotech, Naggar st, Mosta, Malta;3. BVG Associates, Cricklade, Swindon SN6 6HY, UK;4. Albatern, Midlothian Innovation Centre, Roslin, Scotland, UK;5. Heriot Watt University, Orkney, Scotland, UK;6. EcoWindwater, University of the Aegean, Chios, Greece;7. Wave Dragon, Frederiksborggade 1, DK-1360 Copenhagen K, Denmark;8. Seaweed Energy Solutions, Bynesveien 48, 7018 Trondheim, Norway;9. University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain;10. Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, UK;11. University of the Aegean, Chios, Greece |
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| Abstract: | This study examines the economic impact of the expenditures from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) administered for coastal habitat restoration projects around the United States. Estimates of the total jobs created as well as the average number of jobs created per million dollars spent are provided. The study shows that the 50 ARRA projects administered by NOAA in the first year and half generated a total of 1409 jobs. These habitat restoration projects created, on average, 17 jobs per million dollars spent which is similar to other conservation industries such as parks and land conservation, and much higher than other traditional industries including coal, gas, and nuclear energy generation. This suggests that habitat restoration is indeed an effective way to stimulate job creation. In addition, habitat restoration has longer-term economic benefits, including future job creation in rebuilt fisheries and coastal tourism, and benefits to coastal economies including higher property values and better water quality. Therefore, investing in blue infrastructure habitat restoration is a green opportunity benefiting coastal economies and societies in both the short and the long term. |
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