Wetland Mitigation: Policies, Frameworks and Opportunities

1. Southeast Alaska Region Scoping Discussion
Wetland Mitigation: Policies, Frameworks
and Opportunities
We inspire SE Alaskan’s and support community organizations working towards
the wise management of our watersheds

2. Thank you to our partners
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The National Forest Foundation
Heidi Firstencel from the Army Corps of
Engineers, Matthew Lacroix with the Environmental
Protection Agency, David D’Amore from the Forest Service
and Neil Stichert with the Fish and Wildlife Service
Also to Michael Murphy, Francis Naglich and Steve Sego for making the
trip north to share your perspectives and insights.

3.  Introductions
 Why you are here and why wetland mitigation is
important to SAWC
 Objectives of today’s meeting

4. Name
Affiliation and Focus
Why this topic is important

5. Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition
We inspire Southeast Alaskan’s and support community
organizations working towards the wise management
of our watersheds

6. Goal
SE Alaska is a place where a network of community-based
watershed efforts is achieving informed management of the
resources

7. How we support community-based watershed
management efforts(CBWM)
• SAWC provides resources and trainings to
SE communities
✔Community-based watershed
management and
✔Watershed planning
• SAWC works to promote
policies, management strategies and
collaboration that build the capacity of
community-based watershed management
efforts.

8. Why Community-Based Watershed Management?
 The health of our
communities and economies
depend on the health of our
watersheds.
 Central to natural resources
and land management
should be the concerns and
priorities of the community
impacted.

9. Why are we here?
wetland mitigation is important to us
 We are watershed mitigation practitioners on the
local level.
 Wetland development, mitigation and management
decisions impact the health of our
communities, economies and watersheds.

10. SAWC’s Wetland Mitigation Initiative
Is a long term opportunity to provide SE communities with
monies to carry out mitigation projects
And
A direct and pro-active response to community frustration
in regards to the inconsistencies and misunderstanding
around the 2008 Final Rule

11. In-Lieu Fee Program
1.
Restoration, Enhancement,
Creation Focus
2. Watershed Approach that
works to prioritize the
projects identified by
community-based
watershed management
plans
3. Stewarded by community
over the long term
4. Builds Economy of Scale

12. The Final Rule on Compensatory Mitigation: losses for
aquatic habitat
Final Rule Alaska
 Provides a standard - Few to no developed
“outlined” process for strategies for wetland
federal, state and local mitigation
agencies to utilize in
developing management - Is working to, but has not
strategies for wetland yet compiled the best
mitigation available science and
organized it in the context
 Ensures the use of best of mitigation
available science
- Because of the above the
process varies from
 Predictable and efficient applicant to applicant

13. Federal Rule Alaska
 Improves the  Has no “example” to
planning, implementat shape “best practices”
ion and management in the Alaska context
of compensatory for mitigation projects
mitigation projects
 Clarifies the
 Lacks watershed
Watershed Approach
assessments and plans

14. Ground Truth-ing

17. Objectives
 Build Awareness of the Compensatory
Mitigation for Losses of Aquatic
Resources, 2008 Final Rule
 Share information and resources that can
contribute to the development of effective
wetland mitigation management strategies on
the federal, state and local levels.

18. Objectives cont.
 Identify resources available and resources
needed to support the third-party mitigation in
SE Alaska
 Encourage collaboration and strategic
partnerships to advance credible wetland
mitigation projects in SE Alaska

19. Questions or
Comments?