Designing Wetlands Preservation Programs for Local Governments A GUIDE TO NON-REGULATORY PROTECTION March 1992 In Cooperation with King County Publication #92-18 Acknowledgements Federal Project Officer Jerry Larrance, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency State Project Officer Jane Rubey Frost, Washington Department of Ecology, Wetlands Section County Project Officer and Model Kate Stenberg, King County Environmental Division Program Development Guidebook Authors Jane Rubey Frost and Kate Stenberg Technical Contributors Peggy Bill and Wendy Eliot (Washington Department of Ecology); Julie Knott, Lisa Lombardi, Kate Supplee and Jonathan Trim ' (King County Environmental Division) Editor David George Gordon Editorial Assistance Mary Louise Conte Design Laura Lewis Illustrations Joyce Bergen Special thanks to... Advisory Committee Members Michael Buckley, Open Space Citizens Advisory; Committee Joyce Humble, Island County ; Lorne Lakshas, Spokane County; Toni Cramer, City of Bellevue Eric Mandel, Citizen Representative; Fred Dayharsh, City of Spokane Donna McBain, The Trust for Public; Paula Ehlers, City of Olympia Land ; Marilyn Freeman, Snohomish County Billie Sumrall, Grant County: Terry Galvin, Whatcom County; John Hollowed, Northwest Indian; Fisheries Commission King County Keith Artz, Office of Open Space Derek Poon, Environmental Division; Debbie Ayers, Real Property Division Ruth Schaefer, Surface Water Management Division; Laura Casey, Building and Land Development Division; Dan Stencil, Assessor's Office; Sharon Claussen, Parks Division Eric Stockdale, Environmental Division; Jim Greenfield, Office of Open Space; Arthur Thornbury, Council Staff ; Birney Mellor, Real Property Division; David Tiemann, Office of Open Space ;Curt Moulton, Washington State University - King County Cooperative Extension; Richard Tucker, Council Staff:; Keith Wange, Office of Open Space; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Bill Riley, Water Resources Assessment Section; Linda Storm, Water Resources Assessment-Section; Michael Rylko, Office of Coastal Waters Vashon-Maury Island, Land Trust Washington Department of Ecology Teri Granger, Inventory Specialist River Basin Team; Michelle Stevens, Wetlands Ecologist, Wetlands Section; Brian Lynn, Education Coordinator, Wetlands Section This document was funded by a Puget Sound Estuary Program Action Plan Demonstration Project grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. ii Table of Contents Preface............................................................................................................................................ vi Summary .......................................................................................................................................ix Chapter 1 Introduction: The Role of Wetlands Preservation Programs Why Wetlands Need Protection .......................................................................................1-2 Current Wetlands Protection Programs............................................................................1-3 The Benefits of a Local Preservation Program.................................................................1-5 Feature: The Economic Benefits of Wetlands Preservation.............................................1-7 Key Points/Key References..............................................................................................1-9 Chapter 2 Designing a Preservation Program Setting Goals and Objectives ...........................................................................................2-2 Evaluating Situations and Identifying Needs ...................................................................2-4 Preparing a Program Implementation Plan.......................................................................2-5 Evaluating the Program....................................................................................................2-5 Feature: Preservation From a Landscape Perspective ......................................................2-6 Key Points/Key References..............................................................................................2-7 Chapter 3 Administering and Coordinating the Program Choosing a Program Administrator..................................................................................3-2 Working with Other Wetlands Programs .........................................................................3-2 Forming Partnerships .......................................................................................................3-3 Feature: Land Trusts to the Rescue ..................................................................................3-5 Key Points/Key References..............................................................................................3-7 Chapter 4 Selecting Preservation Sites: Developing and Applying Criteria Types of Selection Criteria...............................................................................................4-2 Site Selection: A Four-Step Process.................................................................................4-7 Feature: The Importance of Buffers ...............................................................................4-12 Key Points/Key References............................................................................................4-13 Chapter 5 Creating a Wetlands Inventory Why an Inventory? .......................................................................................................................5-2 Standard Inventory Approach.......................................................................................................5-2 Inventorying, Step-by-Step...........................................................................................................5-4 Narrowing the Preservation Working List ...................................................................................5-9 Feature: Functions and Functional Viability of Wetlands............................................................5-9 Key Points/Key References........................................................................................................5-11 iii Chapter 6 Exploring Acquisition Alternatives Full versus Partial Ownership ..........................................................................................6-2 Fee-Simple Ownership.....................................................................................................6-2 Less-Than-Fee Ownership................................................................................................6-3 Exploring Acquisition Options ........................................................................................6-4 Feature: Liability and Risk Management .........................................................................6-8 Key Points/Key References..............................................................................................6-9 Chapter 7 Acquiring Wetland Areas Pre-Negotiating for Wetland .Properties..........................................................................7-2 Conducting a Pre-Negotiation Site Assessment...............................................................7-2 Negotiations Leading to Acquisition................................................................................7-3 Taking Ownership ............................................................................................................7-5 Addressing Lands Not Suited for Preservation ................................................................7-6 Soliciting Donations of Wetlands ....................................................................................7-7 Feature: Maintaining a Buyer's Edge................................................................................7-8 Key Points/Key References..............................................................................................7-9 Chapter 8 Managing Wetland Sites Selecting a Custodial Entity .............................................................................................8-2 Wetlands Restoration .......................................................................................................8-3 Crafting a Pre-Acquisition Management Plan..................................................................8-3 Elements of a Management Plan......................................................................................8-3 Amending or Modifying the Plan.....................................................................................8-7 Research: A Growing Need..............................................................................................8-7 Feature: Preserve Design..................................................................................................8-8 Key Points/Key Reference ...............................................................................................8-9 Chapter 9 Obtaining Funding and Offering Incentives Funding for Wetlands Preservation..................................................................................9-2 Incentives for Wetlands Preservation...............................................................................9-7 Feature: Implementing A Successful Funding Program for Land Acquisition ..............9-10 Key Points/Key References............................................................................................9-12 Chapter 10 Educating aid Involving the Public Public Education ............................................................................................................10-2