Wetlands Toolkit

Wetlands are among the world’s most valuable and productive ecosystems, containing habitat and refuge for dense biodiversity while providing numerous benefits to humans. However, wetlands are also the most endangered ecosystems in the world. In the United States, recent federal developments have further endangered wetlands due to long-standing protections being stripped away. States and local governments have an opportunity to establish policies that will protect and restore critical systems of wetlands. This Toolkit provides an overview of the importance of wetlands, where states stand after key Supreme Court decisions and federal rollbacks, and what policy options exist for states. Although some of the programs described in this Toolkit may be agency regulations or policy, all could be authorized and funded by a state legislature. Key policy options are organized into three sections: (1) Filling in Federal Gaps, (2) Protect and Restore Wetlands, and (3) Systems-Level Approaches for Conserving Wetlands.