The purpose of the State of the Wetlands Report is to paint the big picture of wetlands in North and South Carolina.
From carolinawetlands.org/state-of-the-wetlands ↗The report establishes a baseline for measuring future trends in wetlands in the Carolinas.
Wetland protection is becoming more and more important as both State and Federal regulations are being eroded by changes in WOTUS (at the federal level) and shifts in regulatory priorities in both state legislatures.
The report covers wetland types and abundance, wetland condition, wetland stressors, functions and ecosystem services, and wetlands and climate change, with references and data from the U.S. EPA, the National Wetlands Inventory and other sources.
The National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) estimates there are 8.1 million acres (over 12,600 square miles) of wetlands, with 4.2 million acres in North Carolina and 3.8 million acres in South Carolina. This means that wetlands account for about 14% of the land area in North Carolina and almost 20% of South Carolina!
Stony Run Walkable WatershedStony Run is a culturally significant natural wetland corridor that spans the eastern side of Dunn, North Carolina.
Lumbee Wetland RestorationFor decades, the Lumbee tribe has owned and operated the Lumbee Recreation and Cultural Center…
Wetland TreasuresWetlands are natural treasures, but unfortunately have long been misunderstood and undervalued.