Massachusetts state senator tours wildlife sanctuary in Westport to learn about impacts of climate change
The senator is using the Earth Day tour to learn how public funding could help protect and restore coastal communities and landscapes.
By: Tim Studebaker
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WESTPORT, MASS. (WLNE) — Massachusetts state Sen. Michael Rodrigues spent part of his Earth Day getting outside and seeing for himself what needs to be done to protect and restore the coastal landscape at Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary in Westport.
Rodrigues said, “To come and spend some time with the Audubon professionals to learn and to hear about what they’re doing on this property, this is really a living laboratory. We’re studying the effects of climate change on the salt marsh.”
The senator is looking at how public money can best be used to protect coastal communities, landscapes, and wildlife from damage caused by rising sea levels and more frequent, stronger storm systems.
Rodrigues said, “What I’m hoping to learn is, as we are looking at future investments of public dollars, where those investments would best be served and how we can get the best return on investment from those public dollars?”
David O’Neill, president of Mass Audubon, said the organization is hoping to show the senator the importance of using public funding to protect landscapes like this one.
O’Neill said, “With those dollars, we can protect water quality, we can deal with climate change, we can sequester more carbon, we can bring back wildlife to these areas.”
The call for action goes beyond just wildlife sanctuaries.
O’Neill said, “The state has an opportunity with these ARPA funds to fund land protection, restoration of marsh systems, of forest systems. They can create trails, they can invest in urban places like Fall River to create more green spaces for urban communities to be able to experience nature.”
© WLNE-TV / ABC6 2022
