Contents 



Page 



Summary ii 



Introduction 1 



Extent and Location of Wetland Conversion 2 



Long-term Trends '. 2 



Location of Wetland Change 4 



Wetland Conversion for Agriculture 4 



Remaining Wetlands 5 



Characteristics of Remaining Wetlands 5 



Farm Potential of Remaining Wetlands 6 



Economics of Wetland Conversion for Agriculture 7 



Farm Programs, Income Taxes, and Wetland Conversion 7 



Conversion Potential of Private Palustrine Wetlands 9 



Economics of Conversion for Hypothetical Farms 13 



Indirect Motivations for Conversion 16 



Wetland Values Foregone From Conversion 16 



Fish and Wildlife Values 17 



Ecological Values 17 



Socioeconomic Values 17 



Estimation of Economic Values 18 



Critical Wildlife Wetland Areas 19 



South Florida's Palustrine Wetlands 19 



Prairie Pothole Emergent Wetlands 21 



Nebraska's Sandhills and Rainwater Basin 22 



Forested Wetlands of the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Plain 22 



North Carolina's Pocosins 22 



Western Riparian Wetlands 22 



Other Problem Areas for Conversion 23 



Conclusions and Policy Implications 24 



References 25 



Appendix 1— Wetland Data 28 



Appendix 2 — Two Hypothetical Farms 30 



