Introduction to Wetland Restoration	Implementing a Restoration Project
Assessing Restoration Potential	Post-Restoration Stewardship
Planning a Restoration Project	Restoration Contacts & Resources

There are countless sources of information (electronic and print) for wetland restoration. This webpage is not meant to be comprehensive, but rather to provide some key references and contacts for those interested in restoring wetlands on their property or in their community.
>> Key agencies and organizations with wetland restoration programs
>> Key websites with information on wetland restoration
>> Funding sources for wetland restoration
>> Publications related to wetland restoration

Key Agency & Organization Wetland Restoration Programs
Since wetlands are now understood to be highly valuable, many goverment agencies and other orghanizations have programs to assist landowners in protecting, restoring, and enhancing wetlands and associated uplands. Experienced wetland specialists are available throughout the state to assist you. Evaluate each program carefully to determine which, if any, suits the goals of your site. These programs offer landowners technical assistance and advice, help with the regulatory process, and can sometimes provide funding.

• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program (PFW), is a program that works one-on-one with private landowners providing technical and funding assistance to improve fish and wildlife habitats. Although this program is more flexible than NRCS programs (see below), there are no payments for the use of the land. The only eligibility requirement is that the site be considered restorable and that the landowner has written consent from neighbors in case water backs up on adjacent land. The program requires a minimum commitment of 10 years to the restoration, and you can enroll longer to receive additional funding. USFWS will pay up to 100 percent of restoration costs, depending on the quality of the site and the nature of work. A majority of the funding usually goes toward the restoration of wetland hydrology for projects such as ditch plugs or drain tile breaks. If a landowner is interested in additional activities, such as removal of sediment, the PFW program may provide some cost sharing. In addition, the PFW has landowner assistance available for upland buffer areas associated with wetlands or with projects protecting a threatened or endangered species.
• Natural Resources Conservation Service - Wetland Reserve Program (WRP), is a voluntary program offering landowners the opportunity to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands on their property. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides technical and financial support to help landowners restore wetlands that have been drained for agriculture. The NRCS goal is to achieve the greatest wetland functions and values, along with optimum wildlife habitat, on every acre enrolled in the program. This program offers landowners an opportunity to establish long-term conservation and wildlife practices and protection. Landowners who choose to participate in WRP may sell a conservation easement or enter into a cost-share restoration agreement with USDA to restore and protect wetlands. The landowner voluntarily limits future use of the land, yet retains private ownership. The landowner and NRCS develop a plan for the restoration and maintenance of the wetland. The program offers landowners three options: permanent easements, 30-year easements, and restoration cost-share agreements of a minimum 10- year duration.
• Natural Resources Conservation Service - Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), is one of the primary and popular conservation programs authorized under the Federal Farm Bill. CRP provides incentives for farmers to take highly erodable cropland, cropped wetlands, or land contributing to a serious water quality problem out of crop production for periods of 10 to 15 years. CRP encourages farmers to convert highly erodible cropland or other environmentally sensitive acreage to vegetative cover, such as tame or native grasses, wildlife plantings, trees, filterstrips, or riparian buffers. Farmers receive an annual rental payment for the term of the multi-year contract. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis. Key criteria include: 1) a commodity crop has been grown on the site in at least 4 of the 6 year period, 1996-2001. If hay was planted on the site during this period, it is considered a commodity crop and is likely eligible for CRP; and 2) you have owned the land for the last 12 months.
• Wisconsin Waterfowl Association, a non-profit organization, is a leader in wetland restoration work in the state of Wisconsin. To date, Wisconsin Waterfowl Association has restored thousands of acres of wetland and upland habitat with their top priority being restoration of Wisconsin's wildlife habitat. Wisconsin Waterfowl Association is always seeking good habitat restoration projects within the state of Wisconsin; contact this organization if you are a landowner and are interested in restoring a wetland site on your property, but need some technical and/or financial assistance. Read about many of their recent projects on their website.
• Ducks Unlimited, Inc., a national non-profit conservation organization, addresses the needs of North American waterfowl by protecting, restoring, enhancing, and managing wetlands and associated uplands. Through its "Private Lands" program, Ducks Unlimited provides free technical assistance for managing land as wildlife habitat. Cost-sharing assistance, engineering services, and on-site surveys may be available for wetland restoration and grassland establishment in certain focus areas. Ducks Unlimited may also provide pipe or water control structures for suitable wetland restoration or enhancement projects. The organization gives priority to projects within targeted regions of the state. A portion of all funds raised by Ducks Unlimited are retained for wetland habitat projects in the state. The funds are administered through the MARSH program. This program is a national initiative for the organization, and in this state is operated cooperatively with the Wisconsin DNR. The program provides matching funds to public or private conservation groups for projects that significantly benefit waterfowl and lead to the permanent protection or restoration of important waterfowl habitat. The MARSH program often provides cost sharing for wetland restoration on private land and through programs administered by the Wisconsin DNR, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and local county land conservation departments.

Funding Sources for Wetland Restoration
A number of agencies, organizations and foundations provide funding assistance for wetland restoration. See the list of programs above as well as Wisconsin Wetlands Association's web page describing funding sources for wetland projects.

Wetland Restoration Publications

• Admiraal, A.N., M.J. Morris, T.C. Brooks, J.W.Olson, M.V.Miller. 1997. Illinois Wetland Restoration and Creation Guide. Illinois Natural History Survey, Special Publication 19. Champaign, IL. Technical guide written for wetland managers. Call 217-333-6880.

• Bureau of Endangered Resources. Wisconsin DNR. Updated yearly. Native Plant Nursery and Consultant List. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Madison, WI. Updated list of Wisconsin native plant nurseries, seed suppliers, and consultants. Call 608-266-7012. BER/DNR, Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707

• Bureau of Endangered Resources. WDNR 1997. Wisconsin Manual of Control Recommendations for Ecologically Invasive Plants. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Madison, WI. Discusses the ecology and control of many exotic and invasive species. Call 608-266-7012. BER/DNR, Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707

• Cole, C., T. Serfass, M. Brittingham, R. Brooks. 1996. Managing Your Restored Wetland. North American Waterfowl Management Plan. 44 pages. Request from: Pennsylvania State University. 201 Willard Building. University Park, PA 16802-2801 phone: 814-863-0471. Discusses wetland restoration and management.

• Eggers, S.D. 1992. Compensatory mitigation: some problems and suggestions for corrective measures. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — St. Paul District. 53 pg.

• Hammer, Donald A. 1997. Creating Freshwater Wetlands. 2nd Edition. CRC Press. 289 pages.

• Henderson, C.L., C. J. Dindorf and F. J. Rozumalski. 1999. Lakescaping for Wildlife and Water Quality. State of Minnesota, Department of Natural Resources. Very attractive guide to native landscaping on lake edges, to order call Minnesota's bookstore at: 1-800-657-3757

• Pauly, W.R. 1988. How To Manage Small Prairie Fires. Dane County Parks. Dane County, WI. Excellent resource for burn management. Contact: Dane County Park Commission, 4318 Robertson Road. Madison, WI 53714. 608-246-3896.

• Riley, A. L. 1998. Restoring Streams in Cities: A guide for Planners, Policy Makers and Citizens. Island Press. Washington D.C. Includes methods to manage erosion from low- to high-tech.

• Wisconsin Waterfowl Association and U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service. 1990. Locating and Identifing Drained Wetlands For Restoration. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Pamphlet describes how to find restorable land.

Content for our restoration webpages is excerpted from WWA's Wetland Restoration Handbook for Wisconsin Landowners, 2nd Edition (2004) by Alice L. Thompson and Charles S. Luthin. To learn more about this publication and order a copy, see WWA's publications list. To download PDF versions of Handbook chapters, visit Wisconsin DNR's website.

WWA thanks Wisconsin Coastal Management Program for providing funding support for our wetland restoration outreach efforts, including development of these webpages.

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