Stopping Rollbacks and Strengthening Wetlands Protections

Wetlands are one of the South's most critical - and threatened - natural resources. They filter our drinking water, provide natural flood control, and serve as a resting place for migratory birds and habitat for many species of animals and plants. Wetlands are also a prime destination for the South's anglers, hunters, boaters and wildlife watchers.

Unfortunately, the South is losing its wetlands at an alarming rate - particularly our freshwater, forested wetlands. Prized for their oak, cypress, gum and other timber, as well as for their agricultural and development potential, these wetlands are slipping away acre by acre. From the mid-70s to the mid-80s, nine out of ten wetland acres that were destroyed nationally were forested wetlands of the South- more than 3 million acres. Since then, loss of forested wetlands has accounted for 95 percent of all wetland losses.

At the forefront of wetlands protection for almost two decades, the Southern Environmental Law Center has successfully fought ill-advised projects that would degrade some of the region's best wetlands. Building on a landmark case in which SELC assured the first-ever environmental review of the conversion of wetlands to pine plantations, and giving added protection to eight million wetland acres, we are now fighting harder than ever to preserve wetlands across the South. In addition to fighting to restore individual wetlands from illegal ditching, draining and filling, SELC is working closely with conservation groups, scientists, natural resource agencies and others in the courts and in state legislatures to protect "isolated" wetlands through the federal Clean Water Act.

• Southern waters at risk: The Rapanos ruling
• Holly Ridge wetland drainage (NC)