Wetland Assessment Criteria 1 7 



concentration of humans and their land use activities places a high level 

 of threat on coastal area wetlands. However, in the past decade a strong 

 emphasis by Federal and State regulatory programs in the coastal zone 

 has reduced estuarine wetland losses compared to the period before the 

 mid-1970's. 



Various land use controls achieved through local zoning, Federal 

 regulatory programs for activities in wetlands, and coastal zone laws 

 influence human activities that cause wetland losses or alterations. For 

 example, coastal wetland losses have been drastically reduced in 

 Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland through State coastal and/or inland 

 wetland protection laws. The Food Security Act of 1985 contains several 

 wetland protection features that could significantly reduce the threat of 

 wetland losses due to agricultural conversion. Nonetheless, even in the 

 most conservation conscious States, with the strongest management, 

 regulatory and acquisition mechanisms, wetlands continue to decline. 



Because of the aforementioned variables, degree and imminence of threat 

 are often difficult to determine. However, it is important to establish that 

 wetlands are threatened by loss or degradation. Types of threat and laws, 

 ordinances or land use controls fostering protection of wetlands should be 

 considered in Appendix 1 in making a threshold decision that the wetland 

 site is threatened. Quantifying threat type, degree and imminence is 

 encouraged in developing ranking systems to measure threat. 



3. WETLAND FUNCTIONS AND VALUES 



Criteria 



Wetlands to be given priority consideration for acquisition are those 

 with important and diverse functions and values and/or especially 

 high or special value for specific wetland functions. 



All wetland functions and the broadest range of wetland values 

 should be considered in establishing priorities without greater 

 priority consideration given to one public value over another. 



Discussion 



Wetlands provide important public values including fish and wildlife 

 habitat (e.g., support endangered and threatened species, migratory birds 

 and resident species); surface and groundwater supply; water quality 

 improvement; flood, erosion and storm damage reduction; outdoor 

 recreation; and research and education. Wetland functions and values 

 vary according to wetland type, location and human modification. 



National Wetlands Priority Conservation Plan 



