Assessing the Sustainability of Wetland Habitats in a Rapidly Changing Landscape along the Great Salt Lake Shorelands

The wetlands along the Great Salt Lake shorelands provide critical breeding and staging areas for millions of migratory birds travelling the Pacific and Central Flyways. These wetlands are being rapidly developed or otherwise degraded because of rapid urbanization along the Wasatch Front and lack of integrated planning among Counties and Municipalities. There are several initiatives in progress to conserve and steer development away from critical wetland areas. An integrated planning approach to conserve critical wetland areas must consider factors affecting the long-term sustainability of wetlands. We developed a wetland functional assessment model that can be used to predict the sustainability of wetland complexes and habitat functions at the landscape scale for the purposes of regional planning. The model was developed to assess habitat potential based on the relative size of the wetland complex, habitat composition within and adjacent to the wetland complex, land uses within and adjacent to the wetland complex, and the hydrological sources that are sustaining the wetland complex. The model helps provide a framework for understanding the long-term sustainability and habitat potential of wetland complexes, which is important information when planning and balancing the needs for economic growth and development and wetlands conservation