A spatial model ranking the potential for mitigation sites based on ecosystem functions

Abstract

Wetland mitigation can be accomplished through the enhancement, protection, creation or restoration of wetlands. In coastal regions, mitigated sites are at risk of being lost or degraded due to the land use changes that occur in reponse to sea-level rise, loss of shoreline stability, and human alterations. To improve the success of mitigated coastal wetlands, it is imperative that the future risks to these sites be known. To accomplish this, a future land use map is created for the year 2030 for coastal Georgia which is used in a risk assessment to identify 1) the wetlands that are most at risk of being lost or degraded in the year 2030, 2) where sites with the greatest potential for benefiting wetland functions occur in the landscape for the years 2008 and 2030, and 3) where the potential will increase the most during this time frame.