However, several sections of shoreline have extensive wetlands, notably along the northern shore of Lake Huron, Georgian Bay, St. Mary's River, and northeast shore of Lake Superior that have not been inventoried or evaluated. Along the United States shoreline, the most comprehensive inventory and description of coastal wetlands is Herdendorf et al. Individual states have also completed wetland inventories and evaluations, however methodologies are not consistent and the level of detail and amount of field-based data varies. While wetland size, number, type, and distribution are useful indicators at the landscape scale, these variables are not strong indicators of wetland functions and processes. Other indicators are required for monitoring and assessing the status of Great Lakes coastal wetlands.
Coastal wetlands are variable ecosystems, making monitoring and assessment difficult.
They vary in terms of geographic distribution, size, climate, vegetation, hydrology, water levels and flows, shore slope, substrate, and adjacent land use. Furthermore, wetlands are dynamic systems over time and are dependent on change. Thus, the use of indicators to detect and monitor change is by necessity complex and site specific. However, there is no international consensus on these matters. Process and function based evaluations should be conducted for past, present, and future coastal wetland restoration projects.