Historically, wetlands have been considered to be wastelands of little value to society and have been subject to filling, dumping and draining with little thought given to the consequences. Only recently has the role of wetlands in maintaining and improving water quality been more fully understood.
Inland wetlands make up some twenty-five percent of Connecticut’s acreage and play an essential role in holding surface and underground waters.
Wetlands also provide habitat for wildlife. To some animals it is their sole habitat. To others, it is their breeding refuge, or feeding ground.
Wetlands act as a storage basin for large amounts of water and can detain dangerous flood waters. Also, they can trap sediments and so help stop erosion.
And finally, wetlands act as a natural filter for many pollutants and can trap them from runoff prior to discharge to a waterway.
In 1972, due to the increased public awareness of the vital role that wetlands play, the Connecticut Inland Wetlands and Water Courses Act was formed. This act defines wetlands and also makes guidelines for the DEP to help local agencies regulate the activities which:
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1. Remove material from
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2. Deposit material in
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3. Construct
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4. Obstruct
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5. Alter or . . .
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6 Pollute . . . inland wetlands or watercourses.
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In Connecticut, the state has delegated regulatory authority to 143 towns. Usually a town establishes an inland wetland agency. Towns that do not have their own wetlands agency are regulated by the State Inland Wetlands Unit. New Haven does not have its own agency so information can be obtained from: Inland Wetlands Unit, Department of Environmental Protection, State Office Building, Hartford, CT 06115, 566-7280. If you are not in New Haven, you can call 566-7280 to see if your town has its own agency. For questions on soil categories in the New Haven area, contact: Agricultural Center, Wallingford 06492, 269-7509.
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In conclusion, inland wetlands are areas of importance and beauty. It is essential that individuals understand the vital role their wetlands play, be able to identify a wetland area should it be in potential danger of destruction, and know how and who to contact. These areas contain many species of plants and animals that require the type of saturated situation that only a wetland can afford. The waterlily, one such plant, is of considerable interest due to the crystals that form in its leaves. The preservation of these areas insures that for generations to come, wildlife can breed, naturalists can explore, and scientists can investigate questions of interest in our nation’s wetlands.
