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A cumulative impact management plan for a forested wetland watershed in the Mississippi River Floodplain

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Abstract

A management plan using a watershed-scale approach was devised to limit loss of wetland functions in the one million ha Tensas Basin, Louisiana, U.S.A. Proposals to develop wetland areas are evaluated for their potential to affect the structure and function of the landscape as a whole. The plan required two prior steps. First, we assessed the structural and functional status of the landscape through time. Second, using the assessment, we formulated a set of environmental goals. The assessment indicated that the landscape is severely degraded; of the original forest, 85% has been lost, and the deforestation has negatively affected water quality and biota. Specific goals were devised to conserve remaining wetland resources and to restore functional integrity to the basin as a whole. On the basis of these two prior steps and principles of landscape ecology and conservation biology, we devised a plan that would establish two large tracts of bottomland forest (BLF) totaling 102 000 and 63 000 ha. These tracts would be established by reforesting about 1000 ha of corridors, primarily along streams, linking existing forest patches. In addition, set-back levees and man-made diversions would be incorporated to restore natural flooding to certain areas of remaining BLF. Existing wetlands would be prioritized on the basis of size and density of patches and placed in one of three management categories. Implementation of such a plan is possible under the present regulatory authority of U.S. federal government programs administered by regulatory agencies responsible for wetland protection.

Résumé

Un plan d'aménagement utilisant une approace paysagère a été mis au point pour limiter la perte de terrain en zones humides (“wetland”) dans le bassin du Tensas se trouvant en Louisiane (U.S.A.) et dont la superficie est d'un million d'hectares. Des propositions ont été formulées pour le développement des zones humides et ont été évaluées pour leur potentialité dans le but d'affecter tout le paysage. Le plan exigeait deux étapes préalables. Premièrement, nous avons évalué le status structurel et fonctionnel du paysage en fonction du temps. Deuxiè-ment, en utilisant les résultats de cette évaluation, nous avons formulé un ensemble de buts liés à l'environnement. Notre estimation indiquait que le paysage avait subi une sérieuse perte de terrain: 85% de la forêt d'origine a été perdu; et le déboisement a eu des répercussions négatives sur la qualité des eaux et sur la faune. Des buts spécifiques ont été formulés pour conserver le restant des ressources en zones humides ainsi que pour restaurer son intégrité fonctionnelle au bassin. En nous basant sur ces deux étapes préalables, et sur les principes de l'écoosystème et de la conservation biologique, nous avons mis au point un plan pour établir deux grandes parcelles boisées (“bottomland-forest”, “BLF”) représentant 102 000 et 63 000 hectares. Ces parcelles seraient établies en reboisant environ 1000 hectares de couloirs, principalement le long des cours d'eau, connectant ainsi les parcelles forestières déjà existantes. Par ailleurs, des digues bâties dans la forêt et des déviations artificielles seraient incorporées pour restaurer les inondations naturelles dans certaines régions des BLF. La priorité serait accordée aux zones humides existantes selon leur superficie et la densité des parcelles. Ces zones humides seraient placées dans l'une des trois catégories d'aménagement. La mise en place d'un tel plan nest possible que sous l'áutorité des programmes fédéraux américains administrés par des agences responsables de la protection des zones humides.

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Author notes

  1. Gary P. Shaffer

    Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, Southeastern Louisiana University, 70402, Hammond, LA, USA

  2. David M. Burdick

    Present address: Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 02543, Woods Hole, MA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Marine Sciences, Louisiana State University, 70803, Baton Rouge, LA, USA

    Gary P. Shaffer, David M. Burdick & James G. Gosselink

  2. Office of Wetland Protection, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and University of Georgia, 20460, Washington, D. C., USA

    Lyndon C. Lee

Authors
  1. Gary P. Shaffer
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  2. David M. Burdick
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  3. James G. Gosselink
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  4. Lyndon C. Lee
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Shaffer, G.P., Burdick, D.M., Gosselink, J.G. et al. A cumulative impact management plan for a forested wetland watershed in the Mississippi River Floodplain. Wetlands Ecol Manage 1, 199–210 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00244925

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