Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2010DE182B

The History and Effectiveness of Wetland Mitigation

Institute: Delaware
Year Established: 2010 Start Date: 2010-06-01 End Date: 2011-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $3,500 Total Non-Federal Funds: $7,000

Principal Investigators: Steven Hastings, Courtney Simmons

Abstract: Wetlands are an important facet of our world, playing both economic and ecological roles in our society. In Delaware, wetlands compose 30% of the land and half of its initial wetlands have been lost as result of human activity. Research in the area of wetland mitigation policy will be beneficial because it is important to understand how the removal and redistribution of these ecosystems is affecting the wildlife and natural resources of the region, which in turn influences local and regional economies. This Delaware Water Resources Center internship project focuses on reviewing wetland mitigation practices in the state of Delaware and better understanding their potential economic impacts. The University of Delaware is involved in a wetland mitigation project in which a new wetland will be established on campus to substitute for the destruction of wetland property in the Port of Wilmington. The goal of this research is to determine the economic impacts of this and similar wetlands mitigation projects on local economies and also characterize the role of government agencies, industries, and non-profit organizations in wetlands mitigation.