Wetlands: Protection and Restoration

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What are wetlands?

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Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil, either permanently or seasonally, and support aquatic plants. They include marshes, swamps, and bogs.

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What is wetland mitigation?

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Wetland mitigation is the process of compensating for the loss of wetland functions and values by restoring, creating, or enhancing wetlands.

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What is an in-lieu fee mitigation program?

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An in-lieu fee mitigation program allows developers to pay a fee to a fund that is used to restore or create wetlands elsewhere, instead of directly restoring the impacted wetland.

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True or False: In-lieu fee mitigation programs collect and pool payments for offsetting wetland impacts after the impact occurs.

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True

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True or False: Wetland mitigation can be purchased if wetland losses cannot be avoided or minimized under state or federal regulations.

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True

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What is the Clean Water Act?

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The Clean Water Act is a federal law in the United States that regulates the discharge of pollutants into the waters of the United States and sets water quality standards.

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What are the benefits of wetlands?

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Wetlands provide numerous benefits, including water filtration, flood protection, habitat for wildlife, and carbon storage.

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What is the role of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in wetland protection?

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regulates the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters, including wetlands, under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.

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What is a wetland restoration project?

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A wetland restoration project aims to return a degraded wetland to its natural state, enhancing its ecological functions and biodiversity.

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What is the difference between wetland restoration and wetland creation?

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Wetland restoration involves rehabilitating an existing wetland, while wetland creation involves establishing a new wetland in an area that was not previously a wetland.