Wetlands Protection

Wetland resources (excluding surface water area) cover more than 2,300 acres, or 12%, of the Pleasant Bay watershed. When open water bodies are included in the tally, wetlands cover approximately 47% of the area. The abundance of Pleasant Bay’s wetland resources is matched by their variety and generally healthy condition. Sixteen categories of wetland resources have been identified in the study area, and most are in generally healthy condition. It is both the variety and the condition of wetland resources found here that make the Pleasant Bay system unique. Each type of wetland resource acts as a building block in the estuarine system. Loss or degradation of one or more types of wetland resources can easily upset or destroy the system’s delicate ecological balance.