ABSTRACT
The Bay cannot go back to what it was 10,000 years ago. More than 7.5 million people live and work here. The problem will get worse as more people move here, housing expands upward, and sea levels rise. Balancing the competing needs of humans and the natural world is a challenge, but some balance must be struck so that the birds and other living organisms can thrive and people can live here and enjoy the natural beauty of the Bay. Both goals can be at least partially met. Fortunately, in the last few decades, efforts have begun to maintain and even restore the Bay to a more natural state. The restorations come in many forms: restoring salt ponds to more natural state, restoring wetlands along the shore and the rivers feeding the Delta, transforming former military bases, accommodating wildlife, eliminating invasive species, and defending against sea level rise. Restoration work is highly desired, but it requires careful planning and execution to ensure that the unintended consequences are minimized. Fortunately, there are some hopeful signs.
