Wetlands: A Multidisciplinary Perspective

Abstract

Today wetland managers and practitioners are faced with considerable challenges and responsibilities. Not only do they need to consider and fully understand all of the traditional components of wetland science such as ecology, geology, and engineering, but also, the aesthetic, socio-political, and economic aspects of the discipline. Nevertheless, over the last several decades the science of wetlands in the United States has matured and significant progress has been made in the area of wetland creation, restoration, and enhancement. However, despite changing attitude towards wetlands many projects still end in failure; a result due largely to adherence to outdated process-driven models, the lack or inability to effectively communicate to project team members and society, and the continued compartmentalization of the various disciplines and practitioners involved in wetland projects. Here the contributions and opportunities that the diverse disciplines bring to the science are illustrated and the importance of effective communication within a proposed adaptive management strategy is presented and discussed. This new adaptive management strategy will allow wetland practitioners to move away from prescribed process driven approaches such as our “no net loss” policy, to one that is more flexible and adaptive to society’s needs. As the emerging greenhouse gas market develops new wetland valuation methods will emerge and wetland practitioners, society, and the regulatory agencies will need to work collaboratively to react quickly and strike a balance between creating wetlands that maximize profitability with respect to the carbon and nitrogen markets and wetlands that provide other ecosystem services.