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Welcome to the Wetlands Web site!

Here you will find guidance on local tools to protect wetlands. This website features:

The article series was developed by the Center in cooperation with the U.S. EPA.

What is a wetland?

A wetland is an area that is regularly saturated by surface water or groundwater and is characterized by a prevalence of vegetation that is adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.

Learn more about identification and classification of wetlands here - "What is a Wetland?"


Why should wetlands be managed at the local watershed level?
Upcoming Wetland-Related Events
  • Wetlands are indirectly impacted by uncontrolled stormwater discharges from adjacent or upstream development. Federal and state permitting programs do not regulate indirect impacts to wetlands; however, they can be managed at the local level through land use and development regulations.
  • Impacts to wetlands can greatly affect watershed health. Wetlands provide many important watershed benefits, such as pollutant removal, flood storage, erosion control, wildlife habitat, and groundwater recharge.
  • If wetlands are inventoried, assessed, and managed in the context of the entire watershed rather than on a site-by-site basis, communities are able to make better choices on preserving the highest quality wetlands, protecting the most vulnerable wetlands, and finding the best sites for wetland restoration.
  • Not all wetlands are always protected by federal and state permitting programs, which may not address very small or isolated wetlands.
  • Watershed plans can inform wetland permit decisions made by state and federal agencies.

This web site expands the Center’s current watershed protection guidance, tools, and resources to integrate wetlands into larger watershed protection efforts.

 

This column will feature the upcoming workshops, conferences, and other events that cover wetland issues. Check back often!

September 7-12, 2008
Eastern Regional Wetland Restoration Institute Daniel Boone National Forest, KY. For more information, see http://tfce.uky.edu/wri_2008.htm

September 16–18,2008      
Wetlands 2008: Wetlands and Global Climate Change. Portland, OR. For more information, see http://aswm.org/calendar