Between 2010 and 2011, 3,775 acres of wetlands were established or re-established in the Bay watershed, acheiving 13 percent of the outcome.
Analysis & Methods (49 KB) 
Download Data (61 KB) What are waterfowl, and why is the Chesapeake Bay so important for these migratory birds? Mike Slattery, the Chesapeake Bay coordinator for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, tells us why waterfowl visit our region each winter and what we’re doing to protect waterfowl habitat.
Produced by Steve Droter
Music: “A Moment of Jazz” by Ancelin
Because of the many benefits of wetlands – including providing habitat, filtering water and preventing erosion – work is ongoing to increase wetland acreage. This involves establishing wetlandoutcomes where they do not exist or reestablishing former wetlands to their natural state. Removing invasive species is also a way to rehabilitate degraded wetlands. Additionally, wetlands are often protected through land purchases or conservation easements.
Restore 30,000 acres of tidal and non-tidal wetlands in the watershed portions of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia by 2025.
Amount completed since 2010 (baseline year)
Between 2010 and 2011, 3,775 acres of tidal and non-tidal wetlands were established or reestablished in the Bay watershed.
Amount completed in 2011
3,775 acres were established or re-established:
Wetlands Restoration Data
Beginning in 2010, data used for this indicator are from the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) watershed model scenario input deck. Input deck data were developed using state submissions (reported via the National Environmental Information Exchange Network - NEIEN), and the CBP Scenario Builder tool. Wetlands restoration data previously reported in this indicator were not collected in a similar manner and also did not account for the efforts from Delaware, New York and West Virginia.
Functional Gains vs. Acreage Gains
Not all of the wetlands accounted for in this indicator are functional. They are present, but not necessarily serving as a benefit to the Bay. Although projects that result in functional gains on existing wetlands are ecologically beneficial, such projects are different than projects that result in the actual gain of wetland acreage. Therefore, they are tracked separately for purposes of clarity and accuracy.
Jennifer Greiner
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
(410) 267-5783
