Wetland Mitigation – Ecological Performance Standards
Goal
Wetland mitigation and restoration practitioners, as well as scientists and policy makers, have been calling for stronger ecological performance standards to guide the wetland mitigation process, to ensure that mitigation either results in ecologically comparable wetland types or functions, or enhances watershed functions. The objective in setting performance standards and in conducting subsequent monitoring is to collect sufficient data to answer the question: has the mitigation wetland met the performance goal within the monitoring period?
Significance
Ecological performance standards ensure that mitigation efforts create or restore wetlands that correspond to the wetland types and functions that are being lost.