Focusing on the Clean Water Act's Section 404 permitting program, this comprehensive analysis of the government's evolving role in protecting wetlands covers the scientific, social, and legal implications of Section 404, and includes chapters detailing wetlands ecology, the states' role in implementing these policies, takings issues, judicial review, and agricultural programs.

Distributed to some depository libraries in microfiche.

The purpose of this paper is to describe Canada's frameworks for wetland conservation. It first describes the policy framework, looking at federal, provincial, and industry sector policies on wetlands. It then reviews the legislative framework, summarizing federal, provincial, and territorial jurisdiction & statutes concerning wetlands. The final section summarizes common themes & features found in wetland policies, discusses their evolution, and indicates issues for further study. Appendices include a discussion of wetland definitions and a summary of wetland policies & statutes by jurisdiction.

"Wetlands" has become a hot word in the current environmental debate. But what does it signify? In 1991, proposed changes in the legal definities of wetlands stirred controversy and focused attention on the scientific and economic aspects of their management. This volume explores how to define wetlands. The committee--whose members were drawn from academia, government, business, and the environmental community--builds a rational, scientific basis for delineating wetlands in the landscape and offers recommendations for further action. Wetlands also discusses the diverse hydrological and ecological functions of wetlands, and makes recommendations concerning so-called controversial areas such as permafrost wetlands, riparian ecosystems, irregularly flooded sites, and agricultural wetlands. It presents criteria for identifying wetlands and explores the problems of applying those criteria when there are seasonal changes in water levels. This comprehensive and practical volume will be of interest to environmental scientists and advocates, hydrologists, policymakers, regulators, faculty, researchers, and students of environmental studies.