A larger trend is heading for the PCR of our wetlands. To be successful, we need to employ better management techniques then in years past. Management use to mean drain and log, where now we are working with and incorporating wetlands into our plans.
Preservation of these areas has been most successful at the government level. From former president George Bush instructing congress they should strive for a "no net loss" policy for wetlands, to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act which calls for a permit to alter a wetlands in anyway.
Section 404 also sets up a plan for 'mitigation'. Mitigation generally states that for every acre of wetlands altered or destroyed, a person or contractor must construct an acre and a half somewhere near to the first.
Other areas where preservation is promising are laws that are already in palce like 'SWAMPBUSTER'. Originally written to allow farmers to drain wetland areas on their lands for agriculture, although not perfect, legislators have recently reworked the law to be more wetland friendly.
Conservation is taken up mostly by large focus groups like the Sierra Club, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Audubon and others. These are originizations you may be a part of, offerring your time and support.
One of the largest to spearhead the wetland cause internationally is called the Ramsar Convention. Started at an international conference in Ramsar, Iran, this group deals with wetland issue on a global scale. Their focus is the international protection of migratory birds and animals that do not observe internation borders and for the benefit of human populations dependent on wetlands.
Restoration: Policies like 'no net loss' and people like you recognizing the importance of wetlands have stimulated restoration and creation of these ecosystems. Restored and created wetlands have specific goals such as the mitigation of unavoidable wetland loss, wastewater treatment, and stormwater retention and control. Although many of these constructed wetlands work very well, some do fail, usually by the lack of hydrology. The best wetlands are still the natural ones.
To see if there are any restoration projects in your area look here: Restoration.
Again, PCR is vital to maintaining and improving the quality of our environment. When faced with a wetland / construction problem, we need to work together with Best Management Practices (BMP's). Three things to consider when faced with these problems:
1) Consider the relative importance of the wetlands in relation to the total property to be managed. Maybe the wetland should just be left untouched.
2) Protect the environment. Do not alter
the hydrology of the wetland by:
- restricting the inflow or outflow of surface, sub-surface
or groundwater
- reducing residence time of waters
- introduce toxic substances
- change the temperature of the area waters
3) Protect wildlife habitat to the extent that knowledge permits and to a level consistent with its value to society.