IT'S MORE THAN JUST A MOUSE
To save the salt marsh harvest mouse, we must save the wetlands as a whole, as the two go hand in hand. An ecosystem will never be the same if even one species is lost. Because of the hard work from nonprofits, and government agencies, we have the money and resources to save the wetlands and the salt marsh harvest mouse and absolutely must. The $500 million in grants that Save the Bay have received for bay restoration should be primarily focused on the marshes because with their purifying abilities they will clean the rest of the bay. So yes, the mouse may be small, but everything is part of something bigger and that is why we must save it.
THE MONEY IS THERE
We have the money to save the wetlands! Cullinan Ranch cost $16 million for 1,549 acres (EPA, Cullinan, 2016). At this same price, restoring the 51,200 acres of diked off coast to the tidal marsh it once was would cost $528 million. It sounds like a lot, but thanks to government grants, non-profits, and non-profit supporters, Save the Bay alone has $500 million (Baye, 2012). We have the money to protect our region’s future, and we must. If we don’t protect and restore marshes, the health of our planet and atmosphere will quickly deteriorate, which will cost way more than a little prevention.
WE NEED YOU
For those living in the San Francisco Bay Area, we need awareness and support. Luckily for you, we don’t ask for any huge favor or lifestyle change, we just want to give you ideas on how you can help. Don’t support urbanization in areas that are or were once marshes. Vote in support of bills that will grant funds towards restoration. If you want to support in a more hands-on way, go to Save the Bay restoration days. And if that’s not your kind of thing, just go out and respectfully enjoy the beautiful coastline we have because without everyone on board, we may not have it for long.