A National Program for Regional Wetland Assessment

Federal and state wetland protection policies have developed within a milieu that ascribes all functions to all wetlands. Scientific research, however, indicates that not all publicly-valued functions are possessed by all wetlands. Wetlands that appear to be similar can function differently in different regions of the United States. Wetland science needs to focus attention on the functional coping of wetlands to regional variations in rainfall, temperature, hydrology, and biota. The National Wetlands Technical Council, with support from the Donner Foundation, is conducting a regional assessment of wetland functions and values. During Phase One of the study, the Council designed a regional framework for wetland assessment in the United States. Phase Two will consist of regional wetland scientific workshops, at which wetland scientists will critique the existing wetland types. The consensus will seek to aid government agencies to tailor wetland regulations according to wetland functions at the regional level.