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Environmental
scientists worldwide are indicating the importance of preserving and
protecting our wetlands. The benefits of preserving our wetlands has
become an important issue since recently, society has begun to
understand the functions of wetlands in our ecology, as well as the
values humans obtain from them. Wetlands help regulate water levels,
improve water quality by functioning as natural filters, provide
important habitat to beneficial plants and wildlife, directly or
indirectly support many recreational activities, and can even reduce
flood and damages from storms.
Unfortunately, more than half of the original 220 million acres of
wetlands that existed in the lower 48 states in the 1600's have been
destroyed (Dahl and Johnson 1991). Since the 1970's, the most
extensive loss of wetlands have taken place in Louisiana,
Mississippi, Arkansas, FLORIDA, South Carolina, and North
Carolina (Dahl and Johnson 1991). The rapid growth of urban
development particularly in FLORIDA has been a major
contributing factor to the impact of wetlands.
Since the 1970's the use of regulation to protect wetlands at the
federal, state, and local levels, have become part of the permitting
process of any land activity that may impact wetlands. Land
developers are often required to enhance, restore, or create
wetlands to compensate unavoidable impacts of wetlands. The term
often use for this permit requirement is mitigation (i.e.
Compensation).
The success of all mitigation and any restoration efforts, including
upland restorations, is greatly dependent on adequate maintenance
and monitoring of these areas. This is why an invasive vegetation
maintenance program is critical for the success criteria of your
mitigation site, allowing desired plant communities to establish
within a reasonable time frame.
Our professional staff of wetland biologists can ensure the success
of your permitted site, by conducting the most thorough and
comprehensive maintenance program in the industry. Aquatic
Biologists, Inc. success in turning over extensive out of compliance
sites in a short period of time has made us the leader in wetland
maintenance in Central Florida.
For your free wetland inspection and wetland maintenance program
proposal call us
at 1-800-785-2000. |