1 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS: ENSURING FUTURE PROTECTION OF VALUABLE LAND AREAS

Lack of protection of small valuable wetland areas from urban expansion projects can negatively affect environmental quality for miles throughout a watershed, and can lead to a net loss of wetlands. Research performed along the southeastern Atlantic coastal plain has shown a marked decrease in small wetland areas. This trend became evident in 1984 when it was reported that 84 % of wetland losses for the entire nation occurred in the southeastern United States. Preservation of all wetlands, no matter how small, is important for maintaining the biodiversity of plant and animal life located within these areas. Although laws have been created to promote wetland survival, destruction of wetland areas still occurs. The purpose of this project was to determine various conservation methods that can offer viable solutions to preserving remaining wetland areas within the Dog River Watershed in Mobile, Alabama. Through extensive library and internet research, it was discovered that conservation easements can guarantee the protection of wetland areas in perpetuity. In order to ensure that this method will be fully sustainable, it was necessary to conduct additional research to determine the following factors: process/costs of easement acquisition, potential easement holders and their responsibilities, and possible funding mechanisms for conservation easement acquisition and monitoring. It is expected that, by educating the public on the process and benefits of conservation easements, many valuable plots of land crucial to watershed areas can be acquired for the purpose of protecting, and in some cases improving, existing wetlands nationwide