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SYNOPSIS 



Wetlands represent a small fraction of our Nations land area, but they harbor an unusually 

 large percentage of our wildlife. Natural wetlands once occupied 11 % of the 48 contiguous states and 

 now occupy 5% - a loss of over 50%. Between the mid-1950's and mid-1970's. 700 miles^ of wetland 

 were alterea and drained each year. The greatest losses were more or less equally balanced between 

 the upper midwest (potholes) and the south (forested and coastal wetland). 



An astonishingly rapid reversal of public attitudes and policy towards wetlands occurred during 

 the last 20 years. Wetlands were considered wastelands and .society encouraged wetland de.struction 

 and conversion with financial incentives. In the 1960's, Massachusetu passed protective legislation 

 and many other states followed. On the national scale, incorporation in the 1972 Clean Water Act 

 (CWA) was followed by the 1977 Executive Order leading to modifications in the Corps of Engineers 

 (COE) regulations implementing provisions of the CWA, specifically Section 404. A number of states 

 implemented similar regulations. Unfortunately, none of these efforts represent clearly defined 

 national policy; hence, the confusion, controversy, costs and disenchantment with present approaches. 

 In contrast lo wetland drainage, we have not determined and codified a wetland protection/management 

 policy. 



Resolution of the present controversy is only ptossible through public discussion and a')nsensus 

 establishment of a nutionul policy on wellund protection/management embodied in national 

 legislation and unified implementmg regulations. Anything le.ss will simply perpetuate the current 

 controversy and eventually undermme support for wetland protection. We need a broad national 

 policy that rftduces wetlands loss, restores drained or altered wetlands, protects wetlands through 

 public or private ownership, and enhances wetland functions while accommodating desirable economic 

 development. 



The enormous historical losses and the importance and array of wetland functions, and their 

 inherent values to our society, mandates that a national policy implement NET GAIN or NET 

 RECOVERY of wetlands, until 25% t)f the original wetlands acreage has been restored and our 

 combined wetland resource base is 75% of the original. 



Natural wetlands are an ephemeral component of the landscape resulting from geological 

 incidents and to a lesser extent, biological and human activities. Specific location, type and size of 

 every wetland is dependent on a series of geophysical phenomena that created gnd maintain suitable 

 hydrological and edaphic umditions at that site. Consetjuentl^, attempts to preserve every wetland or 

 even to require on-site replacement are in fact attempts to maintain the status quo disregarding the 

 series of unintentional events that created and maintain a wetland. This philosophy is inhereiit in rigid 

 application of in-kind, on-site restoration/creation requirements of the COE/EPA MOA on mitigation 

 signed in January 1990. In contrast, a strategic, landscape approach might well identify more suitable 

 locations for certain types and sizes or even different types and sizes to enhance one or more functional 

 values to society. 



Unfortunately, fear of change has obscured serious consideration of arguments for strategic, 

 landscape planning for wetland management that might incrca.se values of wetlands through judicious 

 location. It also has inhibited restoration of wetlands to their original form and function especially in 

 the coastal regions where freshwater marshes have become saltwater marshes after the intra-coastal and 

 associated canals permitted extensive salt water intrusion. Rigid attempts lo maintain the status quo 

 totally disregard historical conditions and man-induced changes, as well a.s the ever changing, dynamic 

 nature of all wetlands. 



Natural wetlands are interdependent and interact with terrestrial components of the landscape 

 and with other wetlands, especially within a watershed or biotic region, such that meaningful 

 management must incorporate a landscape, watershed or biotic region approach. Because of these 

 .strong interactions and interdependencies, it is not possible to evaluate, assess or categorize a wetland 

 unit in isolation from otfier components in the watershed or biotic region. Wetlands management must 

 also include temporal factors since age/successional stage, as well as geographical location, strongly 

 influences both form and function ofweiland resources. 



