Wetland Value and Protection Strategies

Abstract

Wetlands are essential in providing water‐related ecosystem services, such as clean water for drinking, water for agriculture, flood control, and cooling water for energy. In conjunction with erosion control and sediment transport, they contribute to land formation and resiliency to storms. Yet, global wetlands continue to be degraded or lost due to agricultural production, urban development, and pollution. In many cases, policies and decision do not account for the economic value that wetlands provide through their interconnectedness with other terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Regulation of wetland protection is often limited to developing countries and, in some cases, lacks the enforcement needed to restore and protect wetland systems. Valuing of wetlands first requires an understanding of the benefits and the risk to loss of wetlands. Understanding the benefits first requires measuring the status and trends of wetland ecosystems as well as identifying and measuring the goods and services provided by wetland ecosystems. This information is used to link values and benefits with policies and decision‐making. This article provides an overview of the status and trends of global wetland, describes the connection to wetland ecosystem goods and services, and valuation techniques for these goods and services, and discusses tools for protecting wetlands and their associated benefits.