Indicators:  Farm, Forest, Wetland

Inland Wetlands

Cities and towns have been permitting slightly less wetland destruction nearly every year since 2000.

The “Acres Disturbed and Created” graph shows the acreage of wetlands disturbed by development and the number of those acres replaced by human-made wetlands. “Disturbed” wetlands are those affected directly by human activity, which can range from total destruction (when the wetlands are filled and built upon) to conversion from one type to another (when, for example, a shallow swamp is dredged to create a small pond). No attempt is made here to evaluate the success of the created wetlands or their value relative to the natural wetlands altered. There is no goal for wetlands conservation. Inland wetlands are estimated to cover about 450,000 acres, or about 15% of Connecticut's surface. Some of the ups and downs in wetlands loss since 1990 are directly related to changes in the economy and the number of wetlands applications received. However, the graph showing the “Area of Inland Wetlands Affected by the Average Permit Issued” indicates that wetlands agencies have also become more conservative since 1990. Municipal wetland agency members and staff have many more opportunities for state-sponsored training than they did in 1990, and research by the Council shows that training yields positive results. Many commissions have ignored the legal requirement to have at least one member or staff person complete training. More than 95 percent of the development activity in and around wetlands is regulated by municipalities with minimal oversight or supervision by the DEP.

The “no change” for 2006 (the latest data available for analysis) reflects a mix of slightly more wetland disturbance per permit and slightly less disturbance in sum.

NOTE: The data in the top graph underestimates wetlands loss. There are numerous municipalities that fail to submit reports of permit decisions to the DEP as required by law.