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INTRODUCTION 



Natural wetlands once occupied 1 1 % of the 48 contiguous sutes but now occupy only 5% - a 

 loss of over 50%. Wetlands represent a very small fraction of our total land area, but tney harbor an 

 unusually large percentage of our nation's wildlife. For example. 900 species of wildlife in the United 

 StatevS re<)uire wetland habitats at some stage in their life cycle, with an even greater number using 

 wetlands periodically. Representatives from almost all avian groups use wetland to some extent and 

 one-third of North American bird species rely directly on wetlands for some resource (Feierabend, 

 1989). 



Between the mid-1950'5 and mid-1970s, approximately 700 miles* of wetland were altered 

 and drained nationwide each year according tu the National Wetlands Inventory status and trends 

 reports fDahl and Johnson 1990). While losses were nationwide, most were more or less equally 

 balanced between the upper midwest (potholes) and the south (forested wetland). Nineteen states lost 

 over 50% of their wetlands and Ohio and California lost over 90%. A second status and trends report 

 for the mid-1970's to the mid-1980's found a significant reduction in the loss rate, but losses continued 

 at 300 miles^ per year. During this period the largest losses occurred in the south (primarily forested 

 but also coastal wetland). Most wetland losses were caused or induced by human activities. 



The last 20 years have witnessed an a.stonishingly rapid reversal of public attitudes and policy 

 towards wetlands. For over 100 years, public attitudes emN>died in consensus policy, considered 

 wetlands as "wastelands" and encouraged wetland destruction and conversion with financial incentives. 

 But in the 1960's. Massachusetts passed legislation requiring a state permit for any alteration of 

 wetland and many other states followed. On the national scale, growing public awareness of wetland 

 values led to equivocal incorporation in the 1972 Clean Water Act (CWA) followed by the 1977 

 F.xecutive Order but E.O.'s only apply to actions of Federal agencies This however, led to 

 modifications in the U.S.A. Corps of Engineers (COE) regulations implementing provisions of the 

 CWA, specifically Section 404, see Appendix A. Later a number of states implemented similar 

 regulations. Unfortunately, none of these represent clearly defined national policy; hence, the 

 confusion, controversy, costs and disenchantment with present approaches. In contrast to wetland 

 drainage, we have not determined and codified a wetland protection/management policy. 



Reversing the drainage/conversion policy probably could not have been accomplished 20-30 

 years ago, but increasing public awareness and support are the basis for present concern over wetlands 

 protection and the controversy surrounding wetland regulations. The Committee is convinced that 

 resolutit)n of the present controversy over wetland protection is only possible through adequate public 

 discussion and consensus establishment of a national policy on wetland protection/management 

 embodied in national legislation and unified implementing regulations. Anything less will simply 

 perpetuate the current wntroversy and eventually undermine future support for wetland protection. 

 We need a broad national policy that addresses regulations and incentives to reduce wetland loss, 

 protects wetlands through public or private ownership, restores drained or altered wetland, and 

 enhances wetland functions. Only a national wetlancf policy that repudiates previous conversion 

 policies and encourages/compels wetland protection/restoration/creation/management will reverse 

 continuing losses while accommodating desirable economic development. 



The enormous historical losses of national wetlands and the importance and wide array of 

 wetland functions and their inherent values to our society, mandates that we go beyond a national 

 policy of NO NET LOSS of wetlands. We must implement a NET GAIN or NET RECOVERY of 

 wetlands policy until such time as the combined wetland resource base approximates 75% of the 

 original base. Since the present base is estimated at approximately 50% of the original, this would 

 entail restoration of some 25% of the Nati(m's natural wetland acreages. And it will likely include 

 creation of considerable wetland acreages since many former wetlands could be costly to restore. 

 Many of our most important wildlife species are inextricably dependent on wetlands and diminished 

 populations of these species are unlikely to be restored without restoration or creation of a significant 

 portion of the wetland habitats they require. 



