The U.S. has lost over half of its total wetlands since European settlement, with some states losing up to 85% of their wetland resources. Now, as human understanding of “ecosystem services” has grown, it has become clear how much these losses matter: wetlands’ value is physical, measurable, and tied closely to the safety and livelihoods of our communities. When wetlands are lost, the services they provide must be paid for in other ways by downstream neighbors, utilities, consumers, farmers, insurers, taxpayers, and the next generation.
Our remaining wetlands are valuable natural assets that we cannot afford to lose, and every restored wetland represents an investment that compounds over time, delivering benefits in the near and long-term future. This means every land use and infrastructure decision that recognizes wetlands as natural assets is a step toward a future where communities work with water more efficiently, rather than continuing to spend resources over and over to respond to floods, droughts, and pollution. Protecting wetlands is not just an abstract environmental goal; it is a practical long-term investment in our communities’ resilience, safety, and prosperity.
There are key roles for federal, state, and local governments in protecting wetlands and the services they provide to communities. Although wetlands are sometimes seen as primarily a federal or state responsibility, local governments increasingly are recognizing that they have a strong interest in keeping wetlands healthy, as well as an opportunity to play a greater role in their conservation and restoration. Local governments know their lands and are familiar with their critical role as primary regulators of land use and development. They also know their waters and wetlands, and between their authority to plan and regulate land uses and the many non-regulatory tools and incentives available to them, local governments have substantial opportunity to promote wetland protection in their communities.
This Playbook is designed to assist local governmental officials, landowners, community advocates, and others in identifying and using this range of tools to advance local interests and contribute to the protection of the larger watershed. It provides an overview of the many good reasons to protect local wetlands and the range of tools available to do so, while highlighting where, when, and how certain tools can be used and tailored to achieve a community’s goals. The Playbook is focused on three important categories of locally-led activities: (1) local planning; (2) providing or enabling incentives for voluntary wetland protection by landowners; and (3) leading by example on government-owned land.
The first edition of the Playbook is tailored for use in Arkansas, but many of the strategies and tools described in this edition will be relevant to communities in other states. The Playbook will be updated periodically, with new editions reflecting new opportunities, laws, and geographies. The current edition was updated on April 30, 2026. If you have suggestions or ideas for future editions, please let us know.