This is a proposed updated Action Plan in the Buzzards Bay CCMP 2024 Update.

Protecting and Restoring Wetlands

Problem

Marine and freshwater wetlands continue to be lost and degraded. Although the rate of loss has diminished greatly in recent years, reductions in future wetland losses and wetland habitat degradation will only be achieved through increased local training and enforcement, education of property owners, and the adoption of local wetland regulations to address shortcomings of state and federal laws.

The management of stormwater discharges has become an increased responsibility of conservation commissions. These stormwater treatment requirements must be strengthened to better achieve water quality goals (like open shellfish beds), and conservation commissions need to better coordinate with other boards to ensure comprehensive and consistent townwide stormwater management requirements.

Additional efforts are needed to restore existing degraded wetlands and remedy past wetland violations. This requires a more robust enforcement approach and additional public funding for restoration projects.

This action plan principally relates to the enforcement of existing laws and regulations, and the need to adopt municipal laws and regulations that address local needs and conditions. Additional issues relating to wetlands protection and restoration can be found in many other action plans in this Buzzards Bay CCMP.

Goals and Objectives

Changes: The goal and some objectives were re-worded improve clarity and readability. Seven new objectives were added to better define the scope of actions needed to meet the stated goal.

Goal 7.1. Promote the long-term increase of high-quality wetlands in Buzzards Bay and its surrounding watershed.
Objective 7.1. Improve protection of existing wetlands through laws, regulations, and government policies.
Objective 7.2. Encourage restoration of degraded and filled wetlands.
Objective 7.3. Ensure enforcement of wetlands laws.
Objective 7.4. Enhance the effectiveness of local conservation commissions to protect wetlands.
Objective 7.5. Create new wetlands habitat, and enhance existing wetland habitat, especially habitat directly supporting threatened, rare and endangered coastal species and anadromous and catadromous fish.
Objective 7.6. Ensure that adopted coastline climate resilience strategies are compatible with the migration of wetlands and barrier beaches. (New)
Objective 7.7. Restore hydrology to tidally restricted salt marshes. (New)
Objective 7.8. Support a 15% increase in eelgrass bed acreage by 2035 (to 7,000 acres) as documented in the DEP long-term monitoring program) through water quality and habitat improvements, such as use of conservation moorings. (New)