news
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 2001 Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt and Agriculture
Secretary Dan Glickman today jointly released two new reports that both
indicate there has been a dramatic slowdown in the loss of wetlands over
the past decade.
"This is the greatest overall decline in the rate of wetlands loss since
records have been compiled by the federal government," Glickman said at a
press conference at the Interior Department this afternoon. "While we
celebrate this tremendous progress, we have not yet met our goal of no net
loss, so we need to be sure that we continue our efforts to protect the
environment and be careful not to move backward."
"The Interior report released today shows that the rate of wetlands loss
has dropped dramatically in a decade -- by 80 percent," said Secretary
Babbitt. "This is very good news. Federal programs and policies
encouraging wetlands conservation and restoration should be directly
credited. At one time wetlands were considered wastelands but attitudes
have changed. Today we know wetlands are beneficial for both people and
wildlife because they protect drinking water, habitat, beaches,
recreation areas, and much more."
The new report by the Department of the Interior^s Fish and Wildlife
Service, Status and Trends of Wetlands in the Conterminous United States
1986 to 1997, shows the rate of wetland loss in the United States has
decreased down to an estimated annual loss of 58,500 acres an 80 percent
reduction compared to the previous decade. The national goal of no net
wetlands losses still has not been met, however. The study shows that
between 1986 and 1997, forested wetlands and freshwater emergent wetlands
continued to show the most losses. Open water ponds have been increasing,
yet there is concern that the long- term trend in the loss of vegetated
wetlands may result in long-term adverse consequences.
USDA^s National Resources Inventory, a report on the health of America^s
private lands, also shows significant reduction in wetland losses.
Prepared by the department^s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the
report found an average annual net loss from all sources of 32,600 acres
of wetlands from 1992 to 1997.
The western half of the United States is nearing no net loss while the
eastern part saw the largest wetlands loss.
Wetlands are biologically diverse and dynamic ecosystems. Found in every
state, wetlands support diverse populations of fish, wildlife and plants,
providing habitat for more than forty percent of the nations endangered and
threatened species. Often called "nature^s sponges," they also help
protect water quality by filtering out pollutants, provide natural flood
control by absorbing excess water, buffer coastal areas from erosion, and
offer aesthetic and recreational opportunities.
The findings of the Department of Interior and Department of Agriculture
reports reflect the culmination of more than a decade of progressive work
and accomplishments in wetland conservation. Since 1993, federal agencies
have adopted policies accentuating fair, flexible approaches to wetlands
conservation and stewardship, placing strong emphasis on educating the
public about wetland values, benefits, and the sustainable use of wetland
resources. The data in the new reports indicate that policies and programs
in the 1990s have helped slowdown wetland resource losses while increasing
wetland restoration, creation, and enhancement.
The DOI Status and Trends report is available on the web at
http://wetlands.fws.gov/bha/SandT/SandTReport.html ; and the USDA National
Resources Inventory is available at http://www.nhq.nrcs.usda.gov/NRI .
Uploaded: 1/10/2001
Uploaded: 1/10/2001