Annual Perspective
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of
wisdom, it was the age of foolishness...
Charles Dickens - A Tale of Two Cities
Every year around this time, the Center takes stock of where wešve been and
where we're headed. This year our self-evaluation is especially significant
because the Center has now been in operation for five years, long enough to
have a bit of history, which gives our voice added authority and conviction.
But the Center's continued success depends on your support, and there are
many challenges ahead that cannot be favorably resolved without your
involvement.
As the Center's accomplishments mount, we take pride in our track record
including a number of critical activities:
- Educating the public and decision makers about the capacity, condition,
and importance of surface and ground water systems.
- Pushing for stronger safeguards through environmental stewardship, more
effective planning, and better enforcement of existing regulations.
- Voicing compelling arguments about the long-term implications of current
policies, and holding governmental agencies and elected officials more
accountable to the public.
There have been many individual instances where these activities took shape - proposed water withdrawals, major development projects, enhancement of
state policies and program implementation.
Our emphasis has been on correcting deficiencies in the use of information
so as to make better choices, or at least to prevent the most damaging ones,
affecting the quality and productivity of coastal resources - natural,
economic, and historic. And by doing so, we are working to make permanent
improvements in decision-making processes that reflect a broad perspective
of current and future interests.
It could be said that, like Dickens, we live in the best of times and the
worst of times. These are the best of times because the public is
increasingly concerned about the critical importance of the issues we are
addressing. A prime example is the long overdue attention that water
resources have been receiving in the media, in classrooms, and the halls of
our courthouses and legislature.
We have been party to numerous meetings, both on the coast and in Atlanta,
where urgent matters such as water quality, water supply, fisheries, and the
use of science in making wise decisions have been deliberated. The Center
has contributed position papers on water conservation and water management
to statewide forums, we have made compelling presentations about coastal
issues to the Board of Natural Resources, and we have been privileged to
receive the recognition and support of numerous other organizations whose
collaboration is essential to the success of such ambitious endeavors.
Witnessing so many gifted and disciplined individuals working together
across Georgia for the common good is another powerful indication that these
are indeed the "best of times". But what makes their work, and ours, so
essential is the other side of this menacing ledger. As a region, state,
and nation, we face problems of enormous difficulty while lacking the
reassurance that our institutions are up to the task.
Rampant growth in our five coastal watersheds, from here to Atlanta, Macon,
Athens, and Augusta, continues to chew up and pave over land at an
unprecedented pace. At the same time, state and federal funds needed to
support enforcement of the laws that help keep the impacts of this growth in
check are being cut. Economic development programs still often pay little
heed to the value of the very ecosystems that make lasting jobs and profits
possible. Many individual cities, counties, and corporations continue to
compete for resources and influence as if each can win at the expense of the
others. And environmental permits are issued on a case-by-case basis with
far too little evaluation of their long-term implications.
Despite the profound complexity of these issues, we believe that the
Center's work is helping to shift the odds toward favorable outcomes.
Gradually, people are coming to understand that we must all pay greater
attention to the environmental consequences of our actions as consumers,
voters, property owners, and employees. Concerned individuals are speaking
out, expressing increasingly firm commitment to a sustainable coast. As
more citizens participate in this process, we can look forward to a future
with fewer problems and better solutions, reduced conflict and greater
teamwork, and an enlightened self-interest based on the true value of shared
public resources.
We challenge you to help us achieve this future by supporting the Center's
important work.
-- David Kyler, Executive Director
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