In her State of the State address last month, NY Gov. Kathy Hochul called for broadening the state’s freshwater wetlands regulations to protect an additional one million acres of these important wildlife habitats. In particular, smaller wetlands falling below the state’s current legal threshold will benefit from improved mapping and enhanced regulation. Many of these wetlands lost federal protection a number of years ago, and efforts to bring them into the state’s purview have not been successful.

It is hard to overstate the importance of wetlands to birds. Although they comprise a relatively small proportion of total land area, they are utilized by one-third to one-half of bird species at some point in their life cycle. Many of these are at-risk species that have already experienced population declines from filling, draining and other damage to wetlands. Birders are well aware of the productivity of swamps, bogs, flooded forests, wet meadows and other wetland areas when it comes to avian life.

In addition to benefits to birds and other wildlife, wetlands provide flood and drought mitigation, water filtration and purification, groundwater recharge, carbon sequestration, and recreation opportunities. These values apply to wetlands both small and large.
 
What you can do—Legislation that would address the current 20-year-old freshwater wetland maps, add protections for smaller wetlands, and add recognition of the values of wetlands, passed the State Senate last session, but died in the Assembly. This legislation has been reintroduced with bipartisan support and with the Governor’s commitment can get over the hurdle this year. Contact your Senator and Assemblyperson and ask that they cosponsor S05116-C/A7850. Emphasize that NY’s wetlands continue to disappear, along with their human and wildlife benefits.
 
(A good site to find your representatives by map or address is: www.elections.ny.gov/district-map.html)