Coastal ecosystems, including tidal marsh and estuarine wetlands, provide a range of ecosystem benefits including improved water quality, carbon storage, nursery habitat for fish, and feeding and resting areas for migrating birds. They also provide natural buffers from storms and sea-level rise, providing flood protection for shoreline development and public access. California has lost more than 90 percent of its coastal wetlands over the last century.

To protect and restore these and other critical coastal ecosystems, the State of California, with its partners, commits to taking action to restore 8,900 acres of coastal ecosystems, primarily estuarine wetlands and adjacent habitat by 2020. This effort will include detailed planning, site design, engineering and restoration implementation focused on 2000 acres in Northern California, 5000 acres in San Francisco Bay; 600 acres in Central California and 1300 acres in Southern California.

Additionally, the State of California commits to developing and implementing specific eco-regional conservation goals and actions based on the best available science for the conservation of 57,000 acres of coastal ecosystems including subtidal habitats, coastal wetlands and adjacent uplands. The State has already established conservation plans for tidal and diked wetlands and subtidal habitat in San Francisco Bay (totaling 43,000 acres) and is in the process of developing long-term goals and implementation strategies for restoring 14,500 acres of coastal wetlands in Southern California.