Vermont Wetlands Section - Wetlands Threatened & Endangered Species Habitat

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Wetlands - Threatened and Endangered Species Habitat

About 43% of the nations endangered and threatened species rely directly or indirectly on wetlands for survival. Endangered species are species that, if not protected, are in imminent danger of permanently disappearing from Earth. Threatened species are species that, if not protected, are likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future. In 1973, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act with the express purpose of protecting species that were in danger of extinction. In Vermont, species with a state status of Threatened or Endangered are protected by the Vermont Endangered Species Law (10 V.S.A. Chap. 123). The Nongame and Natural Heritage Program (NNHP) is in the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. NNHP is the state's official repository for records of rare, threatened, and endangered species.

Endangered Species

According to the Vermont Wetland Rules (pdf, 84 KB), wetlands that contain threatened or endangered species are significant wetlands. In determining whether a wetland is significant for the Threatened and Endangered Species Habitat function, the Vermont Natural Resources Board shall, at a minimum, consider the extent to which the wetland meets the following criteria:

There is creditable documentation that the wetland provides important habitat for any species on the federal or state threatened or endangered species list of animals or plants;
There is creditable documentation that the wetland has contained one or more threatened or endangered species on the federal or state list in the past 10 years.

Links of Interest

Endangered Species Act of 1973: legislation that protects the ecosystems which endangered species and threatened species depend upon.
Species Information: information and search engine for endangered and threatened species from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Vermont Nongame and Natural Heritage Program: the mission of the Nongame and Natural Heritage Program (NNHP) is to inventory, protect, and enhance nongame wildlife, native plants, and significant natural communities in Vermont, and to help people better appreciate these resources. Nongame wildlife includes wild mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, mollusks, crustaceans, insects, and other invertebrates not normally fished, hunted, or trapped.
Vermont's Rare and Uncommon Native Animals: a list compiled by the Vermont Nongame and Natural Heritage Program intended to inform naturalists, biologists, planners, developers and the general public about our rare native fauna, including state Threatened and Endangered species.
Vermont's Rare and Uncommon Native Plants: a list compiled by the Vermont Nongame and Natural Heritage Program intended to inform naturalists, biologists, planners, developers and the general public about our rare native flora, including state Threatened and Endangered species.
Ranking and Status: an explanation of the legal status and ranking of rare, threatened and species of special concern.

Updated: January 2002