Southeast Alaska Land Trust deal protects coastal wetlands – Juneau Empire

Conservation Easement at Gustavus Beach Meadows: A Report on Sustainable Development Goal Alignment

Introduction and Project Overview

• A new conservation easement has been established for a 187-acre property of wetlands and coastal meadow along the Icy Strait, known as Gustavus Beach Meadows.
• The agreement is a partnership between the Southeast Alaska Land Trust (SEALT) and the DeBoer family, expanding SEALT’s regional conservation footprint to over 3,600 acres.
• This initiative legally secures the land for conservation purposes and ensures public access, aligning with sustainable development principles.
• The current agreement is a five-year term easement, with the stated goal of transitioning to permanent protection.

Contribution to SDG 15: Life on Land

• The project directly supports the protection, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems by safeguarding a critical habitat.
• The property connects several distinct ecosystems, including the Icy Strait shoreline, meadows, upland, and forested areas, creating a corridor that fosters high biodiversity.
• This action contributes to halting biodiversity loss by protecting habitats for a wide range of species.
  1. Flora: The meadows contain an abundance of plants, including nagoonberries, fireweed, and other medicinal and edible species.
  2. Fauna: The area serves as a habitat for mammals such as bears, deer, and moose.
  3. Avian Life: The wetlands are a key stopover point for migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway, which connects Alaska to South America.

Alignment with SDG 14: Life Below Water

• The conservation of this coastal area directly contributes to the health of marine and coastal ecosystems.
• The property’s tidelands, where freshwater from glacial rivers mixes with seawater, create a unique estuarine habitat essential for diverse aquatic life.
• The waterways are a crucial habitat for anadromous fish, supporting the life cycles of species that migrate between fresh and saltwater, thereby protecting marine biodiversity.

Supporting Community and Climate Goals (SDG 11 & SDG 13)

1. Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11): The easement formalizes the DeBoer family’s multi-generational practice of offering the land as a public community space. This action protects natural heritage and guarantees access to green public spaces, enhancing community well-being and fostering a sustainable relationship between residents and their environment.
2. Climate Action (SDG 13): Wetlands are significant carbon sinks, and their protection is a critical nature-based solution for climate change mitigation. By preserving the Gustavus Beach Meadows, this project contributes to efforts to combat climate change and its impacts.

Partnership for the Goals (SDG 17)

• This conservation easement is a prime example of a multi-stakeholder partnership for sustainable development.
• It demonstrates a successful collaboration between a non-governmental land trust (SEALT) and private landowners (the DeBoer family) to achieve shared conservation objectives.
• This model of “community conservation” highlights how local partnerships can effectively protect vital ecosystems and advance global sustainability goals.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on the conservation of Gustavus Beach Meadows in Alaska addresses several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through its focus on environmental protection, biodiversity, community access, and partnerships.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The article highlights the importance of the conserved land as a “public community space” and notes that the new easement makes “public access legally binding,” which relates to providing access to green public spaces.
• SDG 14: Life Below Water: The conservation effort protects a coastal ecosystem where “freshwater from glacial rivers blends with seawater.” This area is described as a habitat for “anadromous fish,” directly connecting the initiative to the protection of marine and coastal ecosystems.
• SDG 15: Life on Land: This is the most prominent SDG in the article. The text focuses on the protection of “a 187-acre stretch of wetlands and coastal meadow,” which is a terrestrial and freshwater ecosystem. The article emphasizes the goal of halting biodiversity loss by protecting a habitat for diverse wildlife, including “migratory birds,” “bears,” “deer,” “wolves,” and “moose.”
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The entire conservation initiative is a result of a partnership. The article explicitly states that the protection is made possible by a “new conservation easement between the Southeast Alaska Land Trust and the DeBoer family,” showcasing a collaboration between a civil society organization and private landowners for a common good.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, the following specific SDG targets are relevant:

1. Target 11.7: “By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces…” The article directly supports this target by mentioning that the DeBoer family has offered its land as a “public community space for the past three generations” and that the new easement “makes the conservation and public access legally binding.”
2. Target 14.2: “By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts…” The protection of the Gustavus Beach Meadows, a coastal meadow where “freshwater from glacial rivers blends with seawater,” is a direct action to protect a coastal ecosystem and its unique habitat for “anadromous fish.”
3. Target 14.5: “By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas…” The act of placing “a 187-acre stretch of wetlands and coastal meadow” under a conservation easement contributes directly to the goal of increasing the proportion of conserved coastal areas.
4. Target 15.1: “By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands…” The article’s central theme is the conservation of “one of Southeast Alaska’s largest undisturbed wetland meadows,” which is a direct contribution to this target.
5. Target 15.5: “Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.” The project aims to protect an area with “increased variety, increased biodiversity,” which serves as a habitat for mammals, a key stopover for migratory birds, and a home for diverse plant life. This action directly addresses halting habitat degradation and biodiversity loss.
6. Target 17.17: “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships…” The conservation easement is described as an agreement “between the Southeast Alaska Land Trust and the DeBoer family.” This collaboration is presented as a “wonderful example of community conservation,” perfectly illustrating the type of civil society partnership promoted by this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article provides several explicit and implicit indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Area of protected land: The article provides a direct quantitative indicator for targets 14.5 and 15.1 by stating the size of the newly protected area: “A 187-acre stretch of wetlands and coastal meadow.” It also mentions the total conservation footprint of the land trust (“more than 3,600 acres”), which can be used to track the overall progress of conservation efforts in the region. This aligns with official indicators measuring the proportion of protected areas.
• Legal establishment of public access: For Target 11.7, a key indicator is the formalization of public access. The article states that the “easement makes the conservation and public access legally binding,” which serves as a qualitative indicator of securing green public space for the community.
• Protection of biodiversity and habitats: While not providing a species count (like a Red List Index), the article implies progress towards Target 15.5 by listing the diverse species that the protected habitat supports, including “migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway,” “anadromous fish,” “bears,” “deer,” “wolves,” and “moose.” The protection of the habitat itself is an indicator of action taken to prevent biodiversity loss.
• Formation of a partnership: For Target 17.17, the existence of the partnership itself is a primary indicator. The article clearly identifies the partners as the “Southeast Alaska Land Trust and the DeBoer family” and describes their agreement as a “conservation easement,” which is a formal mechanism for collaboration.

4. SDGs, Targets and Indicators Table

Source: juneauempire.com