America's wetlands provide shelter to a wide array of wildlife species, filter our drinking water and protect urban areas from flooding, yet these important natural resources are being increasingly drained, polluted and developed. Recent efforts to weaken the Clean Water Act and remove protections for certain types of wetlands threaten to further degrade the nation's waters. Without a commitment to maintaining and restoring a diverse and abundant number of wetlands, these vital natural resources run the risk of being severely depleted.

Fortunately there is hope. NWF is encouraging citizens across the country to send the following petition to their members of Congress urging them to support the following ten measures aimed at conserving and restoring America's wetlands:

1. Ensure that the avoidance of wetlands impacts, where possible, is the guiding principle for wetland protection.

2. Pass legislation to ensure that all wetlands, lakes, rivers and streams are protected under the federal Clean Water Act.

3. Ensure full funding for incentive programs that encourage farmers and other private landowners to restore wetlands on their property.

4. Ensure natural wetlands are protected from pollution, such as unregulated stormwater discharges, mercury contamination, and other sources of pollution.

5. End federal subsidies that promote the large-scale destruction or degradation of wetlands.

6. Support the establishment and implementation of a national wetlands restoration plan to ensure a diversity and abundance of wetlands across the country.

7. Launch a new “Marshall Plan” for the restoration of large scale ecosystems such as coastal Louisiana, the Great Lakes, Upper Mississippi, Puget Sound, Chesapeake Bay and the Everglades.

8. Prevent rising sea levels from inundating coastal wetlands by working to address global climate change.

9. Create a comprehensive new national wetlands monitoring and tracking program and establish concrete goals from all federal departments to contribute to the net gain of wetlands.

10. Ensure public transparency and participation in all aspects of wetland incentive, tracking and regulatory programs.

To view a printable version of these measures see Conservation Blueprint for America's Wetlands (PDF format/3.6MB).

Sign the petition.