Environmental leaders from across Mobile and Baldwin counties gathered on Dec. 3 to take a major step toward shaping the future of Alabama’s coast.

At the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program’s (MBNEP) annual breakfast meeting, members formally approved the organization’s next 10-year Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan, a guiding document titled "The Waters We Share."

The plan outlines priorities for environmental protection, coastal resilience and economic sustainability through 2035. It focuses on water access, tourism, water quality and wastewater systems, sediment and shoreline management and long-term habitat restoration.

Chris Blankenship, commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, emphasized the importance of balancing rapid coastal growth with environmental stewardship.

“We want to see our state grow, we want to see the economy grow and the coastal area is growing faster than anywhere else. Part of the reason people love living on the coast and people love coming to the coast is because of all these natural areas. It’s a big part of our culture here, without protecting all of that we’re going to lose that culture over time,” Blankenship said. “We have to be intentional about protecting the things that are important to people while we have the growth.”

Along with the ceremonial vote, MBNEP unveiled the latest State of Alabama’s Estuaries and Coast report, which compiles the most recent scientific assessments of Mobile Bay and its surrounding waterways.

The annual meeting also served as a tribute to Roberta Swann, who has led the MBNEP for more than two decades and is widely credited with expanding the program’s partnerships and community involvement.

“I think her legacy is engaging people like me, bringing them to a place where they can learn more, figure out how they fit, how they can contribute,” Mobile County Commissioner Merceria Ludgood said.

Attendees also heard from National Maritime Museum of the Gulf Coast Executive Director Karen Poth, who previewed upcoming exhibits highlighting the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta and the life and legacy of Mobile native Jimmy Buffett.

The crowd included local officials, scientists, nonprofit leaders and other stakeholders who work with the estuary program throughout the year. As discussions turned toward the next decade of conservation projects, Blankenship underscored the urgency of the work ahead.

“My goal is by 2035 we’ve done all that we can possibly do to take care of the environment and coastal Alabama through these projects,” he said.

Leaders emphasized that the newly approved plan represents the beginning of another intensive phase of work. With the next 10 years now mapped out, agencies, local governments and community partners will use the CCMP as a shared roadmap for upcoming restoration, research and resilience efforts across coastal Alabama. The plan’s adoption, they said, signals a continued commitment to protecting the waterways and habitats that define the region.

Gabriella Chavez is a Report for America corps member who writes about growth and development in Baldwin County and our natural spaces for Gulf Coast Media. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://tinyurl.com/yaf8yf5n.