Title
To celebrate the month of May as "American Wetlands Month" and recognize the work of the Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District
Body
WHEREAS, since its establishment by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in 1991, communities around the United States of America and federal agencies celebrate American Wetlands Month to recognize the importance of wetlands to both people and the environment; and
WHEREAS, wetlands allow for important ecosystem services to benefit communities and the environment including improving water quality, promoting biodiversity, storing floodwaters, maintaining surface water flows, carbon sequestration, and providing a natural aesthetic view for residents; and
WHEREAS, these ecosystem services are becoming increasingly important as the City of Columbus and the world faces the challenges of anthropogenic global climate change; and
WHEREAS, many of the enlisted threatened or endangered species in Ohio are associated with the wetlands, these species being increasingly at risk due to anthropogenic and natural causes of wetland loss and degradation; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus, through its Sustainable Columbus office, is committed to imparting equity and environmental justice through strong climate action and is guided by the Columbus Climate Action Plan which has a community-wide goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 and 45% reduction in emissions by 2050; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus Climate Action Plan has strategies and goals around reducing waste, increasing access to green space, and increasing the tree canopy in alignment with the City’s Urban Forestry Master Plan in order to facilitate climate change mitigation and adaptation in the city; and
WHEREAS, various federal, state, and local government agencies and departments such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Columbus Parks and Recrea...
Click here for full text