Aquatic Ecosystem Services Survey: Round One Results

Abstract

Wetlands, streams, and floodplains (hereafter called aquatic systems) are an important resource for social and ecological wellbeing. Since the early 1990s, Federal policy has required a no overall net loss (NNL) of wetland area (i.e. aquatic systems), functions, and values in the United States (US). Past efforts to build assessment tools have focused primarily on wetland structure and function, and less on inherent services provided by aquatic ecosystems that are valued by people (hereafter referred to as ecosystem services (ES)). Moreover, there has been little effort to develop assessment tools that measure wetland services in a rapid and repeatable manner. Our intent with this research is to develop a framework and generalized methodology for the rapid assessment of ES provided by wetlands, streams and their riparian buffers for use in permitting, compensatory mitigation, and preservation decisions. Moreover, we seek to understand aquatic systems decision-makers’ perceptions of planning and land use surrounding wetland protection and mitigation.