Wetlands matter

The Star-Ledger has a feature today, as part of the Sandy one year anniversary, on the value of wetlands. The Department of Interior just announced an extra $15 million for protection of wetlands along the Jersey Shore, especially in areas like Forsythe. Still, the state says that it shouldn't be a priority even though the wetlands provide an important buffer against storm damage:

"We are aware of the need to care for those [wetland] areas along the shore to provide resiliency for the future," said Larry Ragonese, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection. "You also have to live in the real world, and one of the things the Governor is trying to do is rebuild a state that has developed in some coastal areas. People live there. His goal is to get them back in business and back to their lives."

 The wetlands don't just help during hurricanes, but even in small coastal storms, so a little urgency could pay off sooner rather than later.