Wetlands are ecologically vital to the environmental and economic health of New England and New York State.

Defined as an area with saturated soils, a wetland performs many important ecological services such as storing flood waters, filtering pollutants, recharging groundwater supplies, and supporting biodiversity. Wetlands are the only suitable habitat for a variety of threatened wildlife. They also provide critical open space that allows for recreational activities such as hunting, canoeing and fishing. Marshes, swamps, bogs and fens are all classified as wetlands.

Threats to wetlands include development, aquatic nuisance species, nutrient pollution, and climate change impacts.

NEIWPCC’s Role

As a regional commission, NEIWPCC works with our member states and other organizations to study and preserve these unique ecosystems.

Aerial view of a marsh on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

NEIWPCC coordinates the Wetlands Workgroup which discusses and responds to updates from state and federal regulatory programs and policies, such as Waters of the United States (WOTUS).

The New England Biological Assessment of Wetlands Workgroup (NEBAWWG) coordinates with national level partners such as the National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM) and the Association of Clean Water Administrators (ACWA) to monitor and assess the health of the region’s wetlands. NEIWPCC has managed this workgroup since the 1990s. 

Other NEIWPCC workgroups, such as the harmful algal bloom and climate change groups, also discuss wetland health and resilience.

Wetland Resources

New England Wetland Webinar Series

NEIWPCC hosted a multi-year webinar series focusing on wetland protection strategies, mapping, and state initiatives.

Wetlands Watchers Podcast Series

Listen to our podcast series to learn more about wetlands!

Technical Soil Guides

Hydric soils are saturated by water, whether seasonally or year-round. The Field Indicators for Identifying Hydric Soils in New England, (Version 4, June 2020) serves as a one-stop guide for identifying hydric soils in New England. The document contains hydric soil indicators specific to New England, along with guides, charts, diagrams and detailed user notes to better interpret and understand the indicators.

Additional information is available from the New England Hydric Soil Technical Committee (NEHSTC).

Floristic Quality Assessment

The Floristic Quality Assessment (FQA) is a robust, botanically based method for assessing the quality of ecological communities and natural areas. Learn more about the Northeast Regional FQA.


For more information, please contact Alex DuMont at adumont@neiwpcc.org.