How to Hire the Right Wetlands Consultant

This page last updated on 12/9/08.



How to Hire the Right Wetlands Consultant, by Leah Stetson, ASWM A consultant can help the landowner meet the requirements of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), and/or similar state, local or tribal programs. If stumped on how to figure out who would be the best candidates with whom you might work on a wetlands permit application, use this guide to develop a list of questions to ask your local regulatory agency or town office before hiring a consultant. Questions include: "Does this consultant turn in complete permit applications the first time?" and "Is this consultant experienced with this particular agency?"

Wisconsin DNR has added new informational tools to help landowners learn about wetlands on their property. (Oct. 2008)
http://dnr.wi.gov/wetlands/locating.html

A Landowners’ Guide to Montana Wetlands
Produced by Montana Watercourse (Montana State University) (2008)
http://www.mtwatercourse.org/Publications/LandownersGuideWetlands/
StateLandownersGuide_8-27-08.pdf

Managing Wisconsin's Forested Shorelands: A Landowner's Guide
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/forestry/Usesof/bmp/Shoreland%20Forestry%20
Brochure09_01.pdf

Freshwater Wetlands Act & Landowners
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/5503.html

A Landowner's Guide for the Control of Phragmites
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/phrag.asp

Wetlands on My Lands (Canada)
A Landowners Guide for Restoring and Maintaining Wetlands
Ducks Unlimited Canada (March 2007) http://www.ducks.ca/province/ab/how/ground/restore/
http://www.ducks.ca/province/ab/how/ground/restore/pdf/onlands.pdf

Managing Woodlands for Wisconsin’s Coastal Trout Streams
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (2007)
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/forestry/publications/pdf/FR-386.pdf

Wetlands Reserve Program Guide for Delaware [6/2007]
http://aswm.org/lwp/wrpguidedelaware[1].pdf

Rural Landowner Stewardship Guide for the Ontario Landscape (Canada)
(2007)
http://www.stewardshipmanual.ca/
http://www.stewardshipmanual.ca/

Common Legal Questions: Landowner Liability for Draining or Filling Wetlands
by Jon Kusler, Association of State Wetland Managers, Inc. (06/26/06)
http://www.aswm.org/propub/common_questions/brochures.htm#draining
http://www.aswm.org/propub/4_liability_6_26_06.pdf (direct link)

The Ohio Agricultural Landowners Guide to Conservation and Sustainability
American Farmland Trust (2006)
http://www.farmland.org/programs/states/oh/OhioLandownersGuide.asp
http://www.farmland.org/programs/states/documents/AFT_OhioLandownersGuide_2006.pdf

Wetlands Habitat Management: A Guide for Landowners
Ducks Unlimited (March 2005)
http://www.ducks.org/media/Conservation/GLARO/_documents/_library/_landowner/ Landowner_Guide.pdf

A Guide to Property Tax Assessments on Wetlands and Other Privately Owned Conservation Lands in Wisconsin (A Landowner’s Guide)
Wisconsin Wetlands Association (2005)
http://www.wisconsinwetlands.org/WWA%20Wetland%20Tax%20Guide.pdf

A Landowner’s Guide to New York’s Forest Land Enhancement Program
Cornell University, Forest Land Enhancement Program, August 2003
http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/ext/forestconnect/
http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/ext/forestconnect/flep.htm
http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/ext/forestconnect/FLEP/loguide.pdf

Beyond the Suburbs: A Landowner’s Guide to Conservation Management (Minnesota)
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (2001) (includes wetlands)
http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/beyond_suburbs.pdf

At Home with Wetlands: A Landowner's Guide
Washington Department of Ecology (August 2001)
by Joy P. Michaud, for the Washington State Department of Ecology
Ecology Publication #90-31
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/pubs/90031/index.html

Wetlands Assistance Guide for Landowners
Texas Parks and Wildlife (2000)
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwater/water/habitats/wetland/publications/
wetlands_assistance_guide.phtml

Landowner’s Guide to Creating Grassland Habitat for the Western Meadowlark and Oregon’s Other Grassland Birds
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (2000)
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/diversity/meadowlark_habitat.pdf

A Landowner’s Guide Part I: An Introduction to Wetland Management
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (1999)
http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/publications/pdfs/huntingwildlifehabitat/
Landowners_Guide/Habitat_Mgmt/Wetland/Wetlands_Intro.htm

Landowner’s Guide Part IV: Wetland Restoration Techniques
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality(1999) http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/publications/pdfs/huntingwildlifehabitat/
landowners_guide/Habitat_Mgmt/Wetland/Wetland_Restoration_Techniques.htm

Vermont Wetlands Fact Sheet (1999)
http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec//waterq/wetlands/docs/wl_factsheet1.pdf

Living with Michigan Wetlands: A Landowner’s Guide
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (1998)
http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3313_3687-10502--,00.html

Landowner's Guide to Managing Streams in the Eastern United States
Virginia Cooperative Extension
by L.A. Helfrich, Extension specialist and professor, Virginia Tech; D.L. Weigmann, director, Office of Science and Technology, State of Nevada; R.J. Neves, leader, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit (1998)
http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/forestry/420-141/420-141.htm

Wetland and Riparian Stewardship in Pennsylvania: A Guide to Voluntary Options for Landowners, Local Governments and Organizations
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay (1997)
http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/chesapeake/lib/chesapeake/riparian.pdf

Exploring Wetlands Stewardship: A Reference Guide for Assisting Washington Landowners and Communities
Washington State Department of Ecology (January 1996)
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/96120.html
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/96120.pdf

Landowners’ Informational Tools – Idaho, Fish & Wildlife Service webpage
http://www.fws.gov/idaho/Landowners.htm

Private Landowners, States, and the Endangered Species Act & Other Tools for Landowners (Fish & Wildlife Service webpage’s)
http://www.fws.gov/endangered/landowner/index.html

Continuing Legal Education: California Wetlands
“Delineation, Mitigation and Special Bay-Delta Issues”
http://www.cle.com/product.php?proid=828&src=Featured&page=California_Wetlands

Continuing Legal Education (list of upcoming conferences throughout nation)
Several of these conferences deal with water law and wetland permitting issues
http://www.cle.com/

Environmental Concern Inc. Wetland Courses (list of upcoming courses and workshops, including living shorelines, basic delineation, winter & problem wetlands, permitting) http://www.wetland.org & http://wetland.org/education_professionalcourses.htm

Florida Association of Environmental Professionals
http://www.faep-fl.org/

Michigan’s DEQ “How to Hire a Wetlands Consultant”
http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3313_3687-10318--,00.html

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District
List of wetland consultants
http://www.mvp.usace.army.mil/regulatory/default.asp?pageid=710

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District
List of wetland consultants
http://www.mvs.usace.army.mil/permits/consultants.htm

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District
List of wetland consultants
http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/regulatory/soil%20consultants/soil%20consultants%20list.pdf

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District
List of wetland consultants
http://www.spk.usace.army.mil/organizations/cespk-co/regulatory/consultants.html

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District
Regulatory page
http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/reg/index.htm

Wisconsin DNR’s webpage, “Consult a Professional” with a link to ASWM’s article as well as other helpful links for information on Wisconsin wetland consultants. http://dnr.wi.gov/wetlands/pro.html

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