Lesson 2: Winter – Wetland Tradeoffs
*** Adapted from WOW! The Wonders of Wetlands educators guide
Age: High School
Setting: Indoors
Objective: Students will compare economic, social, and environmental tradeoffs in various wetland
conservation and development decisions. Students will also describe the history of wetland
development and protection in their community.
Materials brought by students/teacher: (articles will be provided by Prairie Waters)

Newspaper articles, online resource article regarding wetland conservation and development
decisions.
Analytical Connection
1. Develop and understand different viewpoints on the impacts of draining wetlands.
Background:
During the fall field trip students learned about what makes a wetland a wetland, and about the
functions and values and that all of these functional values have far-reaching economic and social
benefits. Examples: Recreation, aesthetics, generate income for communities via tourism, recharge
water, filters, and flood control just to name a few.
Regulations are a part of our everyday lives. Think of speed limits, drinking and voting age limits, and
deadlines for submitting annual tax returns. As you might expect, a multitude of regulations have been
formulated to guide wetland management decisions. In the Winter lesson plan #1, “Draining Wetlands,”
students were introduced to the different agencies, entities and law that are involved in wetland
conservation and development, specifically in regard to draining. While perceived by some to be an
invasion of persona property rights, wetland regulations are designed to maintain the quality of surface
waters, protect the health and safety of citizens, monitor wetland development and mitigation, protect
valuable ecological functions, and manage development for the good of all people. A series of law
govern separate pieces of the big picture, and responsibility is spread over several agencies – the
Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the
Natural Resources Conservation Service, and others. Also, the unique nature of wetlands brings them
under both water-quality and land-use constraints.
LESSON:
1. Review what makes a wetland a wetland.
2. Review functions/purposes of wetlands.
3. Briefly discuss the Winter lesson plan #1. Ask class if they realized so many entities played a role
in wetland conservation and development decisions.
4. Distribute one article to each group. Each group will read, review, and discuss their article
within their groups initially. Encourage students to think in terms of problems rather than
issues. (Issues divide us, problems are something we can solve.)
5. After each group has read and discussed their article within their groups, students will complete
the following questions. Then, groups will discuss their article with the rest of the class.
A. What is the main concern/problem/issue discussed in your article?
B. Is the problem a natural occurrence, human made, or a combination of the two?
C. What entities/agency/groups are discussed in your article that are impacted by the wetland
problem? Will others be affected by the outcome of this dispute?
D. Compare the values and needs each of the people or groups bring to the negotiating
process.
E. Brainstorm potential alternative solutions to the problem. List pros and cons with each
solution. Take into account economic and environmental factors in the controversy and
potential consequences.
F. Rank solutions and explain reasons for the preferred order and be ready to present.
6. Once groups have discussed the questions above, each group will take time to present their
article to the class.
References:
WOW! The Wonders of Wetlands, an educator’s guide
Landowner wants to drain wetland
Receive farm payments?
Yes
Follow protocol based
on Food Security Act
1985 enforced by
NRCS
Have a wetland easement?
No
Draining water on own land?
Can drain
No
Draining water off own land?
Get a permit from county
water board before draining
and inform neighbors
Yes
Can’t drain