Law Commons^™

Preserving Dynamic Systems: Wetlands, Ecology And Law, Alyson C. Flournoy

Alyson Flournoy

Ecology has advanced human understanding of natural systems considerably over the course of this century. Wetlands law and policy have evolved in response to our increased understanding of wetlands and the many benefits we derive from them. Notwithstanding this shift in policy and law, roughly 50% of the wetlands that existed in the continental United States in colonial times have been lost or degraded largely as a result of recent human activity. Current policies struggle to reconcile the goal of preventing further loss with the pervasive concern for making our laws more efficient. This essay explores the lessons ecology offers …