Protection of Coastal Wetlands 
Barrier islands, beaches, coral reefs and wet- 
lands are important habitats for fish and wildlife, 
protection against storm surges, and features enjoyed 
for their recreational value and beauty. Recently, 
these coastal features have been considered as na- 
tional assets to be protected and preserved. This has 
not always been the case. In fact, early in the Na- 
tion’s history it was Federal policy to transform 
coastal wetlands into “usable” real estate. The 
Swamp Land Acts of 1849, 1859, and 1860 ceded 
65 million acres of wetlands to the States for recla- 
mation.*® The Department of Agriculture encouraged 
so Council on Environmental Quality. “Our Nation’s Wet- 
lands.” Draft manuscript. Washington, D.C., 1977, p. 51. 
agricultural purposes until well into this century. 
Only recently, beginning in the early 1960s, did 
the public attitude toward wetlands change. Sym- 
bolizing this change in attitude, these productive, 
low-lying coastal lands are now termed “wetlands,” 
whereas they were commonly referred to as 
“swamps” and “bogs” in the past. Drainage of wet- 
lands has been curtailed. The Soil Conservation 
Service of the Department of Agriculture no longer 
provides assistance for wetland drainage, except in 
extraordinary cases.*+ 
81 Ibid., p. 70. 
Pressures From New Development 
Recently, new threats to wetlands have emerged. 
The former major threat from drainage for agri- 
cultural purposes has been replaced by the adverse 
impacts resulting from residential construction, com- 
mercial development (e.g., marinas, airports and in- 
dustry), and use for solid waste disposal. Notwith- 
standing the change in public attitude toward coastal 
wetlands, they continue to disappear at a rate of 
about 300,000 acres per year.*? 
The extent of wetland losses over the distant past 
is unknown. The best available estimate of .the 
original wetlands in the Nation places the total at 
about 127 million acres. An extensive survey per- 
formed in 1954 by the Fish and Wildlife Service of 
the Department of the Interior estimated the total 
then at 82 million acres (not including Alaska and 
Hawaii)—a loss of 45 million acres or 35 percent 
of the area.*$ 
Some areas have suffered significant losses. For 
example, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and 
Development Commission determined that the Bay 
has shrunk from 680 square miles to about 400 
square miles due to filling of marshes and wetlands. 
Much of the impetus for protecting wetlands has 
come from the conservation movement. Fishing 
people, hunters, and naturalists with an interest in 
wildlife have prompted the preservation of wetland 
habitats. In conjunction with the general environ- 
82 U.S. Office of the President, President's Envirénmental 
Message, May 23, 1977, p. 13. 
83 U.S. Council on Environmental Quality, op. cit. note 80, 
p. 83. 
mental movement, this has led to a concerted effort 
to protect wetlands at both the State and Federal 
levels. 
The current working definition of wetlands, devel- 
oped by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in con- 
junction with the Departments of the Interior and 
Agriculture and the Environmental Protection 
Agency,** is 
“Those areas that are inundated or sat- 
urated by surface or ground water at a 
frequency and duration sufficient to sup- 
port, and that, under normal circum- 
stances, do support, a prevalence of vege- 
tation typically adapted for life in saturated 
soil conditions. Wetlands generally include 
swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar areas.” 
The Fish and Wildlife Service, working cur- 
rently on a new inventory of wetland resources, has 
classified 20 varieties of wetlands, including salt- 
water marshes, freshwater marshes, swamps,’ wet 
meadows, bogs, fens, and potholes. The Fish and 
Wildlife Service observes that while saltwater 
marshes are particularly valuable and of major na- 
tional concern, they comprise only 10 percent of the 
total national wetlands.*° 
s1U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “Regulatory Program of 
the Corps of Engineers,” Federal Register, Vol. 42, No. 138, 
Part JI, July 19, 1977, p. 37128. 
85 U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service. 
Wetlands of the United States, Circular 39, Washington, D.C., 
1956. 
Importance of Wetlands 
Coastal wetlands perform a number of valuable 
functions. They are a prime source of food for a 
variety of finfish, shellfish, and wildlife. The produc- 
tivity of wetlands has been estimated at more than 
10 tons of organic matter per acre per year—this 
exceeds the average production of rich farmland.** — 
High productivity is due to the unique position of 
wetlands, which are enriched by the flow of fresh- 
s6 U.S. Council on Environmental Quality, op. cit. note 80, 
Iv—42 
