MA Officials Announce 'Nation-Leading' Biodiversity Plan On Cape Cod

BARNSTABLE, MA — Gov. Maura Healey was recently on Cape Cod to announce what state officials are calling a "nation-leading plan to protect nature and wildlife."

The 25-year plan, known as the Biodiversity Conservation Goals for the Commonwealth, is designed to rebuild nature, sustain the health and well-being of residents, improve access to fresh food and enhance the overall quality of life and economy for those across the state, officials said.

Healey announced the news at Mass Audubon's Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary in Barnstable.

It's fitting, as the state is launching a new public-private Biodiversity Partnership to protect the state’s land and water, with Mass Audubon as the first partner. Mass Audubon is making a $5 million investment to support Massachusetts in achieving the “30 by 30” goal of safeguarding 30 percent of our natural areas by 2030, officials said.

The plan is structured around four key goals—Protect, Restore, Sustain, and Connect—each defining specific strategies for action by 2030, 2040, and 2050. The plan also includes governance and innovative funding models to drive action.

It is the first time a state has comprehensively set biodiversity targets for 2030, 2040 and 2050, including for coastal and marine habitats.

Additionally, the state is investing $4 million from capital funding, part of which will go towards establishing the Local Biodiversity Grant Program. The program will provide funding for municipalities, Tribes, non-profits and community organizations to enhance conservation efforts as well as for marine habitat restoration.

For more on the plan, click here.

Officials from Cape Cod and the islands have voiced support for the initiative.

"We are responsible for caring for the land and waters that sustain us," said Sen. Dylan Fernandes. "This plan lays out a clear path to protect and restore our natural resources while building a stronger, more resilient economy. Together, we can work toward a Commonwealth that is healthier, more sustainable, and ready for the future."

"Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket are on the front lines of the climate and biodiversity crisis. Rising seas, warming waters, and habitat loss threaten not only our environment, but also our economy, culture, and way of life," added Sen. Julian Cyr. "This 25-year plan arrives not a moment to soon to ‘Protect, Restore, Sustain, and Connect’ the natural systems we need to survive. Implementing and maintaining such a bold vision for our shared future is what we do best here in Massachusetts."

The Administration also announced Massachusetts’ intention to join the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to deepen the state’s commitment to national and global leadership on conservation. Massachusetts will be the first state to join.

Massachusetts is also one of three states to join in the United Nations High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People.