Background:  Unique and rare wetland communities surrounding the Inland Bays include Atlantic White Cedar swamps, sea-level fens, and innerdunal swales providing habitat for numerous rare plants and animals. The Inland Bays watershed has lost approximately 60% of its wetlands since settlement with the vast majority of loss occurring in non-tidal wetlands. Research conducted by DNREC and the Center for the Inland Bays reveals that many of the remaining wetlands are in poor health.  This gives cause to better protect and restore our remaining wetlands so these habitats can continue to provide valuable services to citizens including protecting us from floods and coastal storms, purifying our water, and providing habitat for fish and wildlife. 

Long-term goals:  The data garnered by the assessment of the Inland Bays Watershed is being utilized to develop restoration and protection plans for the watershed’s wetlands and their adjoined habitats through a collaborative process with other natural resource programs and stakeholders. Outreach is being conducted in the watershed to share the results of the study with the public in order to foster their support for and participation in restoration and protection initiatives.

• Inland Bays Non-tidal Wetland Condition Report - Methods, scoring, management recommendations and illustrative maps of the watershed's wetlands.
  
  
• Inland Bays Tidal Wetland Condition Report - Methods, scoring, management recommendations and illustrative maps of the watershed's wetlands. 
  
  
• NEW! Wetland Health Report Card - a collaborative production of DNREC and the Center for the Inland Bays highlighting stressors impacting wetland health and ways we can work together to improve their health and protect them.    

How you can help the bays

For more information about the Inland Bays Watershed and ways in which you can help, please contact:
The Center for the Inland Bays. The mission of the Center for the Inland Bays is to promote the wise use and enhancement of the Inland Bays and their watersheds.

Restoration of the Inland Bays Watershed

The wetland assessment data garnered from this study is being used to design a restoration strategy for the watershed. The plan will be developed by an interagency team of scientists and managers. 

Opportunities for both increasing wetland quality and quantity in target areas will be identified by integrating the data from the monitoring and assessment program with data from other strategies and efforts. 

Restoration Work Group Page

Click image below for a larger view of how wetlands work for the watershed and how they might be at risk: