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May is American Wetlands MonthLearn! Explore! Take Action!
Celebrate American Wetlands Month 2008!This May will mark the 18th anniversary of American Wetlands Month, a time when EPA and its partners in federal, state, tribal, local, non-profit, and private sector organizations celebrate the vital importance of wetlands to the Nation's ecological, economic, and social health. It is also a great opportunity to discover and teach others about the important role that wetlands play in our environment and the significant benefits they provide - improved water quality, increased water storage and supply, reduced flood and storm surge risk, and critical habitat for plants, fish, and wildlife. In organizing its activities this year, EPA is placing special emphasis on encouraging Americans to:
American Wetlands Month 2008 EventsEPA welcomes and encourages your participation in this exciting outreach effort! Please share information about 2008 American Wetlands Month events near you by completing and submitting the following form: http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/awm/contact.htmlClick below to find about 2008 American Wetlands Month Events planned in your state. New events will be added to the map weekly.
If you have questions about this form or would like to discuss other ways to participate in American Wetlands Month, please contact ow-wetlandsmonth@epa.gov. top of the pageHistory of American Wetlands MonthAmerican Wetlands Month was created in 1991 by EPA and its federal, state, tribal, local, non-profit, and private sector partners to celebrate the vital importance of wetlands to the Nation's ecological, economic, and social health and to educate Americans about the value of wetlands as a natural resource. Historically, annual events such as national and regional conferences have been organized to include a broad range of people including wetland scientists, educators, and public interest. The annual celebration of American Wetlands Month in May inspires people to work throughout the year to protect, preserve, and expand wetlands. Highlights from last year's celebration include:
What are Wetlands?Wetlands are the vital link between land and water, where the flow of water, the cycling of nutrients, and the energy of the sun meet to produce highly productive ecosystems with unique plant and animal life. Wetlands may not be wet year-round. In fact, some of the most important wetlands are seasonally dry transition zones. They are among the most valuable, but often least understood, wetland resources. top of the pageWhy Celebrate Wetlands?Water Quality Protection & Improvement Reducing Flood Risk The presence of wetlands on the landscape can also mitigate flood damage inland. A study by the Wetlands Initiative concluded that restoring wetlands along the 100-year flood plain of the Upper Mississippi River could increase storage capacity to 39 million acre-feet of flood water--a similar volume to the Mississippi Flood of 1993 that caused $16 billion in damages. Water Storage & Supply Bioproductivity & Habitat Economic Viability Recreational & Cultural Opportunities Status of Wetlands in the United StatesThe United States has made progress in reversing the historical wetland loss of an estimated 100 million acres of wetlands since the late 1700s. Specifically, the net annual loss of wetland acres has decreased dramatically in the past few decades, from nearly 500,000 acres per year between the 1950s and 1970s to nearly 60,000 acres per year from 1986 to 1997. The last national report released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service indicated that wetland gains exceeded losses between 1998 and 2004. Despite this positive news, however, wetlands continue to be threatened by a variety of factors, and some wetland types continue to decline in acreage and condition. Urban and rural development is now the leading cause of wetland loss, accounting for nearly 60% of freshwater wetland loss nationally. Urban and rural development can also degrade existing wetlands by increasing sediment, nutrient and other contaminant loads beyond a wetland's capacity to assimilate them. Additionally, habitat fragmentation, hydrologic alterations, and increases in invasive species are all troubling effects on wetlands due to urbanization. As watershed and associated wetland systems are compromised, there can be negative economic, social, and environmental impacts. Consequences of global climate change and sea-level rise are also expected to have an adverse impact on wetlands. top of the pageEfforts to Protect and Restore WetlandsEPA, along with other federal agencies, is taking a number of steps to protect the health of wetland habitats and ecosystems. Several agencies are working with private partners to achieve President Bush's Wetlands Initiative to restore, improve, and protect 3 million acres of wetlands by 2009. Since the initiative began in 2004, over 2.75 million acres have been restored, improved, or protected. In 2006, EPA's National Estuary Program was responsible for restoration of over 92,000 of these acres. EPA works closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to ensure no net loss of wetlands and other aquatic resources under the Section 404 permit program of the Clean Water Act. This regulatory program includes guidelines requiring that discharges of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States be avoided and minimized to the extent practicable and that unavoidable impacts be fully compensated. Currently EPA is partnering with the Corps on a number of important efforts in the Section 404 program including the implementation of national guidance on program jurisdiction in response to the Supreme Court decision in Rapanos vs. U.S., finalization of the joint EPA/Corps compensatory mitigation regulations, and the deployment of a new information management system to better track wetland permitting and mitigation efforts nationwide. States, Tribes, local governments, and conservation organizations also play a critical role in restoring, protecting, and improving wetlands. Accordingly, EPA provides funding through Wetland Program Development Grants to build and enhance state and tribal wetland program capacity in the areas of regulation, monitoring, restoration, water quality standards, mitigation compliance, partnership building, and outreach and education. EPA's Five Star Restoration Challenge Grant Program provides funding, technical support, and information to help communities restore wetlands and stream banks. Since 1999, this program has supported nearly 500 projects utilizing more than $4 million in federal funds and $25 million in partner matching funds. These projects have restored or improved 8,225 acres of wetlands and 95 miles of stream banks. Finally, EPA has initiated development of the first ever national assessment of wetland condition to be conducted in 2011. This probability-based statistical survey will assess the health of the Nation's wetlands while strengthening state and tribal programs for wetland monitoring and protection. It will develop baseline information in order to evaluate environmental progress in protecting and restoring the Nation's vital national wetland resources. top of the pageWhat You Can Do to Protect and Restore WetlandsCitizens can make valuable contributions to the protection and restoration of wetlands. Consider taking some of the following actions to help conserve wetland resources near you:
Resources"Common Questions: Wetland Festivals" - This guide, prepared by the Association of State Wetland Managers with support from the U.S. EPA, is a resource that may be useful in planning a wetland festival or other outreach event to raise wetland awareness. Drawing upon lessons from previous festivals and other resources, the guide answers questions that groups should consider if interested in designing and carrying out their own wetland festival. (http://www.aswm.org/propub/15_wetlandfest_6_26_06.pdf ) "Wetlands and Wildlife Sanctuaries to Visit in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area" - This guide highlights a few of the many places to learn about and enjoy wetlands in the Washington DC area. If you live outside the DC area, you can find a wetland near you by contacting your local parks department, state natural resource agency, or the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (http://www.fws.gov/refuges/) EPA Wetland Fact Sheets - EPA has developed a series of fact sheets that provide technical and educational information on a variety of topics related to wetlands conservation. The fact sheets can be viewed and downloaded by visiting http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/facts/contents.html "Southeastern Wetlands: A Guide to Selected Sites in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky" - Co-published by the EPA and the Tennessee Valley Authority, this book invites and inspires readers to visit wetlands of the Southeast and learn about the challenges faced in their preservation. A limited number of free copies of this book are currently available. Contact Gail Harrison (harrison.gail@epa.gov) to obtain a copy. EPA Wetlands Education Materials - The following website will help you find activities, curriculum/guides, education programs, teaching tools, and other links related to wetlands education (http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/education/). top of the pageOur Partners in American Wetlands MonthEnvironmental Law Institute - www.eli.org
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