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Wetlands
provide a multitude of ecological, economic and social
benefits. They provide habitat for fish, wildlife and
a variety of plants. Wetlands are nurseries for many
saltwater and freshwater fishes and shellfish of commercial
and recreational importance. Wetlands are also important
landscape features because they hold and slowly release
flood water and snow melt, recharge groundwater, recycle nutrients,
and provide recreation and wildlife viewing opportunities
for millions of people.
Latest News and Reports |
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Publication
of the Final National Wetland Plant List
The US Army Corps of Engineers, as part of an
interagency effort with the US Environmental
Protection Agency, the US Fish and Wildlife
Service and the US Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service, is announcing
the availability of the final 2012 National
Wetland Plant List (NWPL). The NWPL is used
to determine whether the hydrophytic vegetation
parameter is met when conducting wetland determinations
under the Clean Water Act and the Wetland Conservation
Provisions of the Food Security Act. The
list will become effective on 6/1/12.
Click here to download the list, or
click here to for the Federal Register notice.
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National
Coastal Condition Report IV
The latest version of the National Coastal Condition
Report has been released by EPA. The reports
describe the ecological and environmental conditions
in U.S. coastal waters. They summarize the condition
of ecological resources in the coastal waters
of the US and highlight several exemplary federal,
state, tribal, and local programs that assess
coastal ecological and water quality conditions.
Click here to download the report.
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Status
and Trends of Wetlands in the Conterminous United
States 2004 to 2009: Report to Congress on the
status and trends of our Nation's wetlands resources
This report is the latest in a continuous series
spanning 50 years of wetlands data. It represents
the most comprehensive and contemporary effort
to track wetlands resources at a national scale.
Click here to download the report and related
documents. |
Data
Collection Requirements and Procedures for Mapping
Wetland, Deepwater and Related Habitats
With the adoption of a new Federal
Wetlands Mapping Standards, the USFWS has
developed an important
companion document (PDF) that describes
the technical procedures and requirements for
wetlands map data. The document is intended
to aid organizations or individuals mapping
wetlands and applying the
Cowardin et al. Classification
System.
It explains the appropriate application of wetland
classification and mapping process, and how
to achieve the data quality requirements now
required in the new FGDC Standards. |
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