[freeztar]

Anyone interested/involved in this field? I'm an ecologist/consultant working for a large, international engineering firm in Atlanta and am curious if anyone on here has a similar occupation, or at least interest. I mainly survey streams and wetlands on proposed construction sites and write technical memos. In the US, wetland determination has specific guidelines that are administered through the Army Corp of Engineers. How is wetland determination made in your part of the world? What criteria do you use and what is your permitting process, if any?
I'd also be interested in any pictures/info you have on wetlands in your part of the world.
I'm also a plant lover so I'd be interested in any endemic species and special relationships.

Wetlands are one of the most productive ecosystems in the world and are becoming increasingly important as we witness fresh water diminishing throughout the world.

[Monomer]

Out at Salisbury here in South Australia there are some wetlands. I don't know much about them, as it's not really a big interest of mine, but I've found some information you might be interested in:

City of Salisbury - Wetlands

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by Monomer

Out at Salisbury here in South Australia there are some wetlands. I don't know much about them, as it's not really a big interest of mine, but I've found some information you might be interested in:

City of Salisbury - Wetlands

Very nice link Monomer!

I tend to picture Australia as an arid place from stereotype, but there is actually a good abundance of water there. Australia is one of the places on my list of "must go there".

[Monomer]

Australia is certainly arid, but it also has so many beautiful places.

The northern territory also has wetlands, so check this out as well:

Arid wetlands - Territory environments - Nature of the NT - Wildlife - NRETA - NT Government - Australia

[maikeru]

Originally Posted by freeztar

Anyone interested/involved in this field? I'm an ecologist/consultant working for a large, international engineering firm in Atlanta and am curious if anyone on here has a similar occupation, or at least interest. I mainly survey streams and wetlands on proposed construction sites and write technical memos. In the US, wetland determination has specific guidelines that are administered through the Army Corp of Engineers. How is wetland determination made in your part of the world? What criteria do you use and what is your permitting process, if any?
I'd also be interested in any pictures/info you have on wetlands in your part of the world.
I'm also a plant lover so I'd be interested in any endemic species and special relationships.

Wetlands are one of the most productive ecosystems in the world and are becoming increasingly important as we witness fresh water diminishing throughout the world.

My own hobbies (gardening, nature, etc.) and studies (microbiology) do tie in with it a bit. Ever since I saw a show on "artificial wetlands" which can be used to clean grey and waste water from households a few months ago, I've been reading more material about that, and also generally, about how wetlands contribute to the health and functioning of other ecoysystems.

The closest wetlands are those of Utah Lake, which I live about 10 minutes from, and even larger than the wetlands and marshes of Utah Lake are those of the Great Salt Lake. I've gone to Utah Lake quite a bit, and used to fish there (although I definitely would not now! Given what I know about the poor water quality and the history of the lake...), so I've had a chance to see some of the wetlands. I was also surprised to learn that the cattails so common in the wetlands around here are not native; they're an invasive/alien species, much like the carp which have so muddied the lake.

deseretnews.com | New battle is brewing over land for a highway (Battles over local wetlands)
Utah Lake - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I feel sad to say that Utah Lake probably is an example of horrible abuse of the environment and wetlands, although most locals are not aware of the extent of degradation. Likewise, I don't fish there. PCBs are not cool.

It would be nice if people could see that cleaning up the lake and enhancing its beauty would benefit us all...

[freeztar]

Thanks for the info!

Here's an interesting quote from the first link you posted:

"Under the federal Clean Water Act, a state transportation agency must choose the "least damaging" route for a road if it goes through the wetlands. But the Clean Water Act also allows an agency to pick an alignment that impacts wetlands if it serves a necessary purpose that has been well-studied."

While this is true in theory, it is seldom actualized.
How it should read, according to how it is enforced, is something like this:

"Under the federal Clean Water Act, a state transportation agency should choose the "least damaging" route for a road if it goes through the wetlands. But the Clean Water Act also allows an agency to pick an alignment that impacts wetlands if it serves a necessary purpose that has been well-studied." (in other words if it saves a significant amount of money)

It's pretty sad really...

I wouldn't sweat the PCBs too much as they are almost omnipresent these days. Heck, DDT is still detectable in anyone alive today and it was banned decades ago.

[Tormod]

Don't know if this has any use but here is a list of some wetland areas in Norway:

The Annotated Ramsar List: Norway

[freeztar]

I must admit that I'm fascinated by the Nordic regions and the life that flourishes there. Reading some of the descriptions from the link, I yearn to explore the headwaters of a major fjord.

Thanks for the link!

[Tormod]

Originally Posted by freeztar

I must admit that I'm fascinated by the Nordic regions and the life that flourishes there. Reading some of the descriptions from the link, I yearn to explore the headwaters of a major fjord.

You're welcome to our fjords anytime!

http://hypography.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=8&c=11

[Cedars]

In Minnesota, we are supposed to protect the wetlands but when it comes to the roads, it seems there is little done in the lines of altering projects to reduce impact. Costs too much.

But it isnt roads that are the major impact I see, its the unrestrained development. There have been several housing developments around me and each contractor has applied for and received variences that reduce the effectivness of the laws to protect.

One example. There is a five acre minimum for new homes. When the farm across the street went into development, the farmhouse and 13 acres was sold as one unit. There is a stream that runs thru there. The contractor whined about how this land compensates for the five acres and put pressure on the county government for his varience and ended up getting 20 additional houses on the fields above the stream on 2 acre lots. It didnt matter that the there are significant numbers of Blandings turtles using these fields for nesting (a threatened specie). I have done what I can to educate the people living there now on this one type of turtle and how to keep the turtles safe.

Now there is a new development going in north of me that is even more devestating to the wildlife. This development will border the shores of a lake and housing is being built on less than one acre lots. Again the 5 acre minimum should apply but thru pressures put on the local government by the contractor, the rules were changed again. The only bonus is the slowing of the housing market has delayed the building of these homes some. But its only a matter of time.