From Fragmentation to Integration: Working with a Community of Experts to Connect Wetland Data

While folks physically see and interact with wetlands while taking a walk or benefit from reduced storm surge during natural disasters, it is often the digital world that provides the first line of protection to wetlands. However, this digital world often goes largely unnoticed to those not responsible for collecting, managing or using the data. When planning for roads, bridges, transmission lines or restoration projects, practitioners first consider digital information on where wetlands are and it is also digitally that they log any impacts or benefits to wetlands. Unfortunately, this digital system is woefully out of date, resulting in suboptimal decision-making and wetlands protections. It’s time to change that paradigm.

To have greater clarity on wetlands, EPIC and partners have been investigating how the  wetland data landscape can be better connected such that decision-makers have access to up-to-date and accurate wetland information.