The public's interest in the renewal of natural ecosystems has grown steadily during the past few decades. While preservation of habitat is a key to environmental health, there is a growing awareness that restoration, creation, and enhancement are essential to recover ecosystems that have been degraded or destroyed. Wetland habitats are the focus of many recovery efforts because over the past 200 years the area and health of wetlands have declined significantly. Less than 46 percent of the 215 million acres of wetlands estimated to exist in the contiguous U.S. when Europeans arrived remain. Prior to the mid-1970s, the draining and destruction of wetlands were accepted practices. Many wetlands altered by humans were drained to support agricultural uses, while others were filled for urban development, diked for water impoundments or to diminish flooding, or dredged for marinas and ports. Indirect impacts from pollutants, urban runoff, and invasion by non-native species continue to degrade and destroy wetlands. Scientists and policy makers also recognize the value of wetland restoration. In 1992, scientists completed a study for the National Research Council that called for the development of a national wetlands restoration strategy. Since then, federal agencies have been working with partners to achieve a net increase of 100,000 acres of wetlands per year by 2005. This goal will be reached only through carefully planned and implemented restoration and creation projects that add ecologically valuable wetlands to the landscape. States and the federal government are funding and conducting large-scale ecosystem restorations, such as the South Florida/Everglades Ecosystem Restoration, which are contributing to the national wetland goal. However, without the support of citizens and local groups around the country the 100,000 acre per year goal cannot be reached. For many decades, citizens have been restoring, creating, and enhancing wetland habitats through local non-profit organizations. In addition, citizens have become involved in wetland projects through government programs. Despite these efforts, the nation is still losing more wetlands than it gains each year. This document is designed to support and further encourage landowner and community-based wetland projects.

The author reveals practices used to restore over 1,700 wetlands in 21 States, 2 Canadian Provinces, New Zealand and Taiwan, answering questions asked by the thousands of professionals and landowners who have taken the hands-on wetland restoration workshops he has instructed across North America. Discover how to build a wetland that looks and functions like a natural ecosystem, and for a fraction of the cost of required mitigation projects. See how to fix wetlands that have failed, and how unattractive eroding farm ponds can be transformed into beautiful, self sustaining wetland habitats. Clearly logical step by step instructions explain how to design and establish natural appearing wetlands for wildlife and fish habitat, cleaning run-off, recharging groundwater, and preventing flooding. Over 450 detailed drawings and photographs illustrate highly effective techniques for restoring surface and groundwater wetlands.

This is a preliminary evaluation of the status of the science of wetland creation and restoration in the United States. It contains a series of regional reviews. Each review summarizes wetland creation and restoration experiences in broadly defined wetland regions (e.g. Pacific coastal wetlands, wooded wetlands of the Southeast). It also includes a series of theme papers, covering a wide range of topics of general application to wetland creation and restoration (hydrology, management techniques, planning).