We obviously have to recognize that development is going to take place. At the same time, we need to recognize that some wetlands are irreplaceable, and that we need to preserve wetland areas in big enough parcels to be ecologically functional. A local solution is needed here. A federal or state-imposed solution can t work. There is general consensus among most local ecologists and wetland scientists as to which wetland areas are the most valuable.
Developers obviously have a pretty good idea as to which areas they want to develop.
Wetland preserves could be financed by an impact fee paid for by developers in place of the money they now pay consultants to delineate and permit wetlands, and in place of the expensive constructed wetlands that replace native wetlands that are lost. Yes it will, but it also means we will have a chance to save some of the best of what is left. As it now stands, there is no proactive designation of valuable wetlands in our area. Pristine prairie pothole complexes are given the same treatment as degraded wetlands with little ecological value. Wetland consultants, the prime benefactors of the wetland construction business, have yet to demonstrate that constructed wetlands can function ecologically or geologically any where near the level of our native prairie wetlands.