Indicators:  Farm, Forest, Wetland

Inland Wetlands

Disturbances of inland wetlands have kept a fairly constant pace over the past seven years.

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 (as, for example, from shallow swamp to deep 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 applications received. However, the graph showing the “Area of Inland Wetlands Affected by the Average Permit Issued” indicates that wetlands agencies had 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, though several 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.

NOTE: The data in the top graph probably understates wetlands loss. There are numerous municipalities (40 in 2005) that failed to submit reports of permit decisions to the DEP as required by law. The Council adjusted the reported 2005 figures upward to account for unreported data, but did so conservatively.