A strength of Gov. Mark Sanford's budget proposal for the coming year is its emphasis on conservation and natural resources.

The governor recognizes the direct link between clean, accessible natural resources and the state's economic well-being.

"Our state's tourism (industry) is centered around our coastal resources -- without healthy beaches much of our economy would be in danger," reads the governor's 212-page budget proposal. "Our state must conserve and encourage the balanced and beneficial use of beaches, marshlands, waters and other coastal resources."

That mind-set is crucial to the future of Beaufort County, and the state as a whole.

Some of the specifics within the budget should lead to a good debate. Sanford proposes creating a new cabinet agency called the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources under a new Division of Environmental Protection. That would assume the environmental aspects of the state Department of Health and Environmental Control, the Department of Natural Resources and the Forestry Commission. He also proposes to eliminate state funding for mariculture and aquaculture research at DNR. He would cut out state money for the Master Gardener program along with a number of similar "master" programs that help educate volunteers. He wants the golf course industry, rather than Clemson University, to fund turf grass research. We don't yet know enough about those proposals to gauge their merits.

But there is plenty in the governor's budget that the General Assembly should unquestionably adopt. That includes:

Full funding of $15 million for the South Carolina Conservation Bank.

Allocation of nearly $26 million to restore money raided from the Barnwell Trust Fund and another $942,000 to fully restore the Pinewood Trust Fund. Both funds are needed for the perpetual monitoring and maintenance of low-level radioactive waste disposal sites. The General Assembly failed in its fiduciary and moral trust with the public by raiding the Barnwell fund of more than $90 million over the past four years. Sanford is wise to reverse that, and he deserves support from the legislature.

Funding of approximately 40 new DNR officer positions. Again, this is making up for recent shortcomings. State budget cuts and attrition over the past five years have cost the department 94 officers. Thirteen of the state's 46 counties have only one or two conservation officers, while the department's responsibilities have soared with homeland security and "unprecedented population growth and increased use and pressure on our natural resources," said DNR board vice chairman Mike Campbell.

Sanford believes the state's "incredible variety" of natural resources are vital to the economy and quality of life in South Carolina. He is right, and the final state budget should reflect that.