Status and Trends of Wetlands in Coastal Watersheds 2004-2009

1. Status and Trends of Wetlands in Coastal Watersheds 2004-2009 National Fish Habitat Board October, 2013 Susan-Marie Stedman, NOAA Fisheries Service Thomas E. Dahl, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

2. Acknowledgements This study has been supported by the Federal Interagency Coastal Wetlands Workgroup (EPA, Corps, NRCS, FHA, USGS, NOAA and FWS). The study provides data on the areal extent of wetlands but does not assess wetland condition or other qualitative changes. Expert subject matter peer review has been completed.

3. Coastal Watersheds of the Conterminous United States • Defined by NOAA based on USGS 8-digit HUCs and head of tide. • Coastal watersheds have 13% of the land area but 37% of the wetland area (conterminous U.S.) • Coastal counties support 50% of the population and have economic activity of $4.5 trillion

4. Coastal Wetlands Include… • Salt marshes • Brackish marshes • Fresh tidal marshes • Fresh tidal shrub • Tidal riverine • Non-tidal freshwater wetlands

5. Wetlands in Coastal Watersheds are Important as: • Habitat for recreational and commercial fisheries • Habitat for wildlife • Recreation • Maintaining environmental quality • Protection from coastal storms and flooding

6. Study of Wetlands in Coastal Watersheds • FWS – NOAA original study covered 1998 – 2004 • Scientific approach • biological definition (not regulatory), Federal Standard (FGDC) • Monitor all wetlands in coastal watersheds • measure gain and loss of wetland acreage by type

7. Updated Study of Coastal Watersheds - Trends • Considerable interest from key Federal agencies: • In some coastal watersheds, wetlands are vulnerable to both development and ocean processes. • Trend studies provide data that help in policy/management formulation. • Acreage trends provide a quantitative measure to evaluate status/progress.

8. Objectives for Follow-up Study • Update wetland change information between 2004 and 2009 • Expand the study to include the Pacific coast • Determine the underlying causes of wetland loss and the role of wetland reestablishment

9. Updated Coastal Study 2004 - 2009 • Total coastal area: 246.9 million acres • Data segmented by coastline – Atlantic, GOM, Great Lakes, Pacific • Sample plots: 2,614 (4 sq. mi.) • Field verification plots: 380 (15%) Coastal Watersheds

10. Study Findings – Wetland Area (41 mil. Acres), 2009

11. Wetland Distribution by Coastal Region, 2009

12. Changes in the Coastal Watersheds 2004 - 2009

13. Study Findings • Between 2004 and 2009, the average annual rate of wetland loss in the coastal watersheds was 80,160 acres, a 25 percent increase in the rate of wetland loss from 1998-2004. • Both saltwater and freshwater wetlands sustained net losses between 2004 and 2009. There were an estimated 95,000 acres of saltwater wetland losses and 265,720 acres of freshwater wetland losses. Saltwater loss was disproportionate in that ~26% of the loss was saltwater wetlands, which make up only ~16% of the wetlands studied. • In the upper portions of the coastal watersheds, stressors associated with residential and infrastructure development or silviculture were key factors in wetland loss.

14. Area Gains and Losses by Region, 2004 to 2009

15. Gulf of Mexico

16. Loss or Conversion of Saltwater Wetland, 2004-2009

17. Loss or Conversion of Freshwater Wetland, 2004-2009

18. What the Data Indicate About Wetlands in Coastal Watersheds… • Wetland trends in coastal watersheds do not follow national wetland trends - may face a different suite of stressors or other complicating factors.

19. What the Data Indicate continued… • Nationally, wetland reestablishment and creation actions on agricultural lands are helping keep pace with losses – not so much in coastal watersheds. • Stressors associated with development in the upper portion of coastal watersheds continue to affect wetland area.

20. What the Data Indicate continued… • In some coastal watersheds, wetlands are vulnerable to both development on the landward side and coastal ocean processes from the sea. This presents considerable challenges for wetland resource management, including mitigation options.

21. Summary • Wetlands in the coastal watersheds make up an increasingly fragile network of lands. • Wetlands declined by an estimated 80,160 acres per year. This rate of wetland loss was higher than the national loss rate over the same time period. • Both saltwater and freshwater wetlands sustained net losses between 2004 and 2009. • Wetland reestablishment in the coastal watersheds has lagged behind reestablishment rates nationally. • Coastal watersheds need greater (more forceful) or different measures to reverse these wetland loss trends.

22. Issues to be Addressed • Why some wetlands in silviculture are being converted to uplands • Reestablishment in coastal wetlands not enough to offset wetland losses • Losses to development, especially in non-jurisdictional wetlands • Increased losses of saltwater wetlands

23. Next Steps • Silviculture • Interagency effort to hold discussions with USDA • Engage with state forestry experts • NOP pilot studies also studying this issue • Reestablishment in coastal watersheds • Hold discussions with federal agencies on how to increase reestablishment of coastal wetlands

24. Next Steps (cont.) • Losses to development • NOP pilot studies are also studying this issue • Watershed planning and outreach to landowners may be most valuable • Losses of saltwater wetlands • Adaptation strategies for climate change may be helpful • Living shorelines efforts (both interagency and NOAA-specific) will also help

25. Contact Information Thomas E. Dahl U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Ecological Services 608-238-9333 ext. 110 Tom_Dahl@fws.gov Susan-Marie Stedman NOAA – National Marine Fisheries Office of Habitat Conservation 301-427-8649 Susan.Stedman@noaa.gov