Thanks to the wisdom and generosity of Bay Area voters, the restoration of San Francisco Bay for people and wildlife is about to accelerate. Earlier this week, the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority committed $17.9 million to restore tidal marshes along the shoreline from funds approved by Bay Area voters in 2016 under Measure AA, which is expected to raise $500 million over 20 years.

This month’s Restoration Authority grants will fund a diverse mix of restoration projects around the bay (see full list at www.SFBayRestore.org). Many of these projects will also provide trails and other public recreation amenities.

Matching funds will be needed from the state and federal governments to create all the needed wetlands, especially because much of the area available for restoration is within the National Wildlife Refuge. Proposition 68 on the June ballot is the next opportunity to increase resources for the bay, with another $20 million dedicated to matching Measure AA funds.

Restored marshes help filter water pollution and nurture fish, birds and other wildlife. Scientists established in 1999 that the bay’s ecosystem needs 100,000 acres of healthy tidal marsh, but development has eliminated 80 percent of the bay’s historic marshes, leaving only 44,000 acres remaining.

Tidal marshes also make our region more resilient to climate change by protecting shoreline communities from extreme storm events and rising sea levels. In fact, through Measure AA, Bay Area residents are funding the largest urban climate adaptation effort in the country.

Many more projects applied for this first round of funding, and others are in the planning stages to be ready for potential grants in future years. Ultimately, the Restoration Authority will provide funding for restoration projects in every Bay Area county.

One of the most visible projects will grow tidal marsh in former salt ponds along Highway 84 at the western approach to the Dumbarton Bridge, where commuters will see a crusty brown and white landscape turn to lush green pickleweed and cordgrass over the next few years.

Years of effort prevented urban development on former salt evaporation ponds and hay fields diked off from the bay so that they could be reconnected to the tides, grow marsh plants, and become functioning marshes again. That renewal, which began over the past decade at sites near Novato, Vallejo, Oakland, Hayward, Alviso and Redwood City, is already showing spectacular results. With Measure AA funds now available, we will see new restoration projects for years to come.

The restoration of tidal marshes is great evidence of how much we love and value the bay as central to our quality of life and economy. We should all be proud of the leadership our region is taking to protect nature in our midst, make our environment healthier, and utilize green infrastructure to safeguard our communities in the face of climate change.

Dave Pine is president of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and chair of the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority Board.