Finding ideal locations for wetland restoration in Ohio

The objective of this research is to identify potential sites for wetland restoration through a multiple criteria analysis. Wetlands have numerous ecological and societal benefits. Wetlands serve as a habitat or resource for numerous species, including mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and insects for at least part of their life. This results in high species diversity in wetlands. Although often overlooked, wetlands also benefit society through flood control, the filtering of pollutants, and serving as a carbon sink. However, unfortunately the number of wetlands in the United States had declined by 54% as early as 1984. The government has responded with several wetland conservation programs through congressional bills and executive orders that have been passed regarding wetland conservation. As a result, the loss of the number of wetlands has slowed down, and wetland restoration is becoming more and more common. This study aims to examine how the number and total area of wetlands have changed through time in the state of Ohio. Additionally, this study will focus on areas that were previously wetlands that have been converted to other land uses as possible sites for wetland restoration. Clearly, due to a number of changes that can occur through time not all old wetland locations are good sites for wetland restoration efforts. This study will consider multiple factors such as the new land use type, new surrounding land use, soil type, slope and the depth of the water table in order to make recommendations on sites to serve as locations for wetland restoration