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  • Economic Benefits of Ecological Restoration: The Final Chapter for Dissolved Oxygen in the Tidal Delaware River

Economic Benefits of Ecological Restoration: The Final Chapter for Dissolved Oxygen in the Tidal Delaware River

  • 16 Feb 2022
  • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
  • ONLINE: Zoom link to be provided
  • 2

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Economic Benefits of Ecological Restoration:  The Final Chapter for Dissolved Oxygen in the Tidal Delaware River

Presented by: Dr. Erik Silldorff 
Delaware Riverkeeper Network

ABSTRACT:

The Delaware Estuary has experienced incredible water quality and ecological recoveries since the 1960s.  The magnitude of these recoveries, however, fostered complacency and stalled the recovery for key water quality parameters and iconic species such as the Atlantic Sturgeon.  Today, the Estuary is at a critical crossroads where extinction has become a tangible risk, and policy makers face a generational decision on whether to complete the full recovery of dissolved oxygen for the benefit of sturgeon, the estuarine ecosystem as a whole, and the communities living along the tidal Delaware River.  Our recent cross-disciplinary research study investigated the potential for full dissolved oxygen restoration in the estuary, and the economic benefits to our region from investing in clean water.  Our modeling shows regional economic benefits for dissolved oxygen restoration would total at least $500 to $840 million, with additional benefits which we were unable to quantify.  This presentation will summarize our research and highlight the many ways investments in clean water have been under-valued in policy deliberations in recent decades.

SPEAKER BIO: 

Dr. Erik Silldorff is the Restoration Director and senior scientist at the Delaware Riverkeeper Network.  As an aquatic ecologist and statistician working throughout the U.S. for 30 years, Erik has worked to evaluate the conditions of streams, rivers, and estuaries, and to identify meaningful paths forward for their protection and restoration.  He has dedicated much of the last 15 years to accelerating water quality improvements, ecological restoration, and legal protections for the tidal Delaware River and Estuary.

Engineers:

This seminar does qualify for 1.0 Professional Development Hour (PDH). A Certificate of Attendance will be available for AWRA-PMAS members only. The meeting price for non-members who wish to receive a Certificate of Attendance for the PDH is $10.00 ($3.00 for meeting + $7.00 for certificate).  

Please note: Presentation is to be given through Zoom at the link below. PDH's will be issued through PDFs. Please allow extra time to register through Zoom and get software set up. Presentation will start at noon. Early participants will be in a Waiting Room until noon. Participants must email AWRA.PMAS@gmail.com to request PDH Certificate after the event.

Presentation link will be provided in registration reminder email. Zoom link should only be used by those who register for the event through AWRA directly. 

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