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Preserving a practically pristine place

THE NORTHWESTERN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS teem with life. Over 7,000 different species thrive among the coral atolls, reefs, sea mounts, and land masses there. Home of the last 1,400 Hawaiian monk seals on the face of the Earth, nesting grounds of most of the world's Laysan and black-footed albatross, habitat of endangered sea turtles and over 14 million seabirds, the region has now been set aside as a natural preserve by a president not known for his environmental activism. Recently, Mr. Bush used the Antiquities Act, which gives a president the right to protect important cultural and geologic resources without congressional approval, to establish the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National Monument--now the world's largest marine preserve.

Why do we, in Fredericksburg, care? For the same reason we laud Crow's Nest--the NWHI are pristine, one of the least sullied sea areas on Earth, a treasure for scientists and a boon to the planet.

Environmentalists too are cheering, a sound seldom heard by this administration. After Jean-Michael Cousteau showed Mr. Bush his PBS documentary "Voyage to Kure" on the natural wonders of the region, Mr. Bush became a believer. "The vibrant beauty of the oceans is a blessing to our country," he said.

The NWHI National Monument covers 140,000 square miles, an area larger than most states. It contains the last predator-dominated coral reef ecosystem on Earth and the majority of the coral reefs left in U.S. waters. From the blue dragon nudibranch to great white sharks, the creatures who live in this area will be protected as commercial and sport fishing are phased out over the next five years. Opposition came only from some commercial fishing interests and a few native Hawaiian groups concerned over traditional fishing practices.

Coral reefs and their complex ecosystems all over the world continue to be threatened. Corals are actually tiny animals and their reefs provide food and shelter for a wide variety of other sea life. But reefs are very susceptible to climate change, pollution, disease, and damage from vessels. A coral reef grows, at best, only one-half inch per year, making them virtually irreplaceable in our lifetime.

The NWHI area has drawn attention from presidents for over 100 years. Theodore Roosevelt established a reserve there to protect seabirds from hunters. Bill Clinton also took steps to protect the region. But Mr. Bush's decisive action seals the deal. It may well be the crowning environmental achievement of his presidency and deserves the applause it is receiving.