Army Corps of Engineers (COE) (Clean Water Act, Section 404 (b)(1) guidelines) for regulatory purposes. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. This definition is more inclusive than that used by the U.S. The temporal nature of some wetlands is acknowledged-hydrophytes and hydrologic indicators need only be present periodically. The FWS lists three attributes that help identify wetlands: the presence of hydrophytes, hydric soils, and saturated or inundated substrate. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), "wetlands are lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water" (Cowardin et al., 1979). The diversity of wetland types makes it difficult to have a single definition for a wetland.Īccording to the U.S. In the legal view, wetlands are discrete units subject to regulatory jurisdiction. In the scientific view, wetlands are transitional areas between terrestrial and open-water systems. Conclusions, recommendations, and research needs complete the chapter however, recommendations on wetlands policy and institutional changes pertaining to wetlands are included in Chapter 8. Current wetland restoration technology is summarized, along with constraints on achieving restoration goals, problems encountered during restoration, opportunities for major restoration projects, programs for wetland restoration, and reasons for varying opinions on the success of wetland restoration. This chapter discusses the functional values of wetlands and describes historic losses and damages. Determining whether a damaged wetland has been restored requires good information on wildlife, vegetation, soil, and hydrology. The answer often depends on how good the wetland science is. Obviously, if less of the wetland is under regulatory domain, development can continue without a net loss (in the legal sense).Īlthough the delineation of wetlands is outside the scope of this chapter, one question is central to the committee's charge: Can damaged wetlands be restored? If so, then restoring one wetland might compensate for damaging another. "obligates" (species confined to wetlands) not just "facultative" species (those that occur in both wetland and upland habitats). For example, seasonal wetlands would need to be wetter longer peripheral areas would need to have vegetation classified as wetland
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At present the area of protected wetlands may be reduced by modifying the delineation manual that is used to identify wetlands that are under the Clean Water Act of 1977 (P.L. Alaska wetlands were given special status (exemption) in the agreement to mitigate damages to wetlands (memo of agreement between EPA and COE, 1990). However, attempts to implement such a policy have proved difficult, because wetlands often stand in the way of development. The Bush administration has espoused the concept of no-net loss of wetland acreage and functioning. Thus, there have been numerous attempts to restore degraded wetlands, and there are many opinions about the status of wetland restoration. A major policy forum has recommended ''no-net-overall loss" and "net gain" in the quality and quantity of the nation's wetland resources (The Conservation Foundation, 1988). In recent years, public attitudes have changed from a general disregard of wetlands to a widespread desire to protect and restore them. Unlike lakes and streams, wetlands have not always had recognized value. Wetlands occupy a special position in restoration ecology, because they have been affected by so many disturbances and because they fall under regulations that require mitigation of future damages.