United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
Office of Wetlands,
Oceans and Watersheds (4502T)
EPA843-F-01-002e
March 2002
&EPA
Wetland
restoration
involves
renewing
natural and
historical
wetlands that
have been
lost or
degraded.
Wetlands are one of the most valuable and fragile components of
a watershed, but for many years they were filled and drained
for agriculture and development. Now we are learning that
wetlands are crucial to the health of our waters and
wildlife. Wetland restoration, the renewal of natural and
historical wetlands that have been lost or degraded, is a
growing activity. It can improve water quality and
wildlife habitat across the nation.
What Is Restoration?
Restoration is the return of a degraded wet-
land or former wetland to its preexisting
naturally functioning condition, or a condition
as close to that as possible. It is a complex
process that requires expertise, resources, and
commitment from many different stakeholders.
Ideally, a successfully restored wetland will
mimic the functions of a healthy natural
wetland.
Through its Five-Star Restoration Program, EPA
is working with multiple partners to reach a
goal of 500 community-based wetland
restoration projects across the nation.
All restoration projects require planning,
implementation, monitoring, and management.
Many projects require a team with expertise in
ecology, hydrology, engineering, and
environmental planning. Getting local experts
and the community involved gives the project
local ownership, which is important for
restoration success.
Why Restore Wetlands?
Restoring our lost and degraded wetlands to
their natural state is essential to ensure the
health of America's watersheds. Unless we
reverse the tide of wetland loss, the quality of
our waters will con-
tinue to be threatened
and a part of our
natural heritage will be
lost. The quality of
America's waters is
.,___ _ closely linked to the
integrity of America's
wetlands. Over the past
200 years, wetlands
have vanished at an
alarming rate. More
than half of our nation's
original natural wet-
lands in the contiguous
states have been lost to agriculture and develop-
ment. Many of the wetlands that remain today
continue to be degraded. Such losses and
damage hamper wetland functions, such as
water quality protection, habitat for fish and
other wildlife, and flood prevention. Read
more about wetland and watershed restoration
at EPA's web site at www.epa.gov/owow/
wetlands/restore.
Community-based Wetland
Restoration
EPA is working with its partners on community-
based wetland restoration projects in 500
watersheds across the nation. EPA's Five-Star
Restoration Program (www.epa.gov/owow/
wetlands/restore/Sstar), provides wetlands
challenge grants, facilitates technology/information
transfer and partnership collaboration, and
supports peer-to-peer communication programs.
If you want to restore a wetland on your
property or in your community, many different
organizations and agencies can help. Many
land-owners are eligible to enroll in federal
programs that provide restoration expertise and
funding, such as the USDA's Conservation
Reserve Program or the Fish and Wildlife
Service's Partners for Fish and Wildlife
Program. If your project doesn't qualify for such
a program or it is a community project
involving many different stakeholders, you
might want to hire a professional to draft a plan
and put together a team to do the work. You can
obtain more information through the web sites
and resources listed on the reverse.
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Youth organizations are working hard to restore and protect an urban wetland in Utica, New York. The marsh is
home to more than 1 90 bird species and 250 plant species. The Sustainable Utica Project, headed by Utica
Community Action, Inc. (UCAI), recently became one of eight youth corps organizations nationwide to receive a
$20,000 grant from EPA's Five-Star Restoration Grant Program. Over the next few months, project organizers will
improve existing nature trails to make the entire trail network accessible to the public. They'll also develop a
nature interpretation trail system for marsh visitors that will enhance public understanding of the wetland's value.
UCAI will also remove invasive plants, trash, and other debris from the marsh to enhance its wildlife habitat
value. So far, they have removed 6 tons of garbage from the marsh. In addition to promoting conservation
education and tourism, the project will generate economic development opportunities for the local community.
For more information, contact John Furman, Program Planner, Utica Community Action, Inc., 253 Genesee
Street, Utica, NY 1 3501. Phone: (31 5) 797-7364; fax: (315) 792-1 983; e-mail: JFurman835@aol.com.
American Avocet
The Wetland Fact Sheet Series
Wetlands Overview
Types of Wetlands
Functions & Values of Wetlands
Threats to Wetlands
Wetland Restoration
Funding Wetland Projects
Wetland Monitoring & Assessment
Sustainable Communities
Volunteering for Wetlands
Teaching about Wetlands
For more information, visit www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands.
' * if'-f,
On the Internet
EPA's River Corridor and Wetland Restoration home page www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/restore
USDA's Conservation Reserve Program www.fsa.usda.gov/dafp/cepd/crpinfo.htm
USDA's Wetland Reserve Program http://wl.fb-net.org
Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program http://partners.fws.gov
The Association of State Wetland Managers www.aswm.org
Society for Ecological Restoration www.ser.org
National Wetlands Conservation Alliance http://users.erols.com/wetlandg
National Marine Fisheries Service Restoration Center www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/restoration
Chesapeake Bay Program www.chesapeakebay.net
Society of Wetland Scientists www.sws.org
Izaak Walton League of America www.iwla.org/siteindx.htm
In Print and On Video
A Citizen's Guide to Wetland Restoration (EPA910-R-94-006). Available from EPA Region 10. Call (206) 553-1200.
Wetland Creation and Restoration: The Status of the Science, Jon Kusler and Mary Kentula, 1990. Available from Island Press.
Call 1-800-828-1302.
Wetlands: An Approach to Improving Decision-Making in Wetland Restoration and Creation, Mary Kentula etal., 1992. Available from
Island Press. Call 1-800-828-1302.
Wetland Restoration: Steps to Success. This 21-minute video from The Wetlands Conservancy discusses techniques for wetland
restoration, including using native plants and when and where to plant. For copies, call The Wetland Conservancy at
(503) 691-1394.
Restoration, Creation, and Recovery of Wetlands: National Water Summary on Wetland Resources, Mary Kentula, 1999. United States
Geological Survey Water Supply Paper 2425. Available on-line at http://water.usgs.gov/nwsum/WSP2425/restoration.html.
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