(Washington, DC) — What happens when mercury released into our air and water finds its way into wetlands? Oftentimes it is converted into methylmercury, a bioaccumulative toxin. The September-October issue of the National Wetlands Newsletter looks at the implications this may have on wetlands restoration and creation projects.
According to the authors, Carl P.J. Mitchell and Cynthia C. Gilmour, the most cost-effective and ecologically sensible manner of reducing methylmercury production in most wetlands is to reduce mercury loading. “But until then, understanding the links between sites of methylmercury production and wetland hydrology will be key in assessing potential risks from large-scale wetland remediation or construction projects,” said NWN editor Rachel Jean-Baptiste.
Other articles in the September-October issue offer highlights from the latest U.S. Farm Bill, a new way to approach mitigation banking, one county’s efforts at monitoring the success of its conservation and mitigation programs, and the legal conflicts that may arise between personal property rights and public trust rights in the face of climate change. The issue also includes a nomination form for the 20th National Wetlands Awards, to be held in the spring of 2009.
For three decades, the nationally recognized National Wetlands Newsletter has been a widely read and esteemed journal on wetlands, floodplains, and coastal water resources. The Newsletter, published by the highly respected Environmental Law Institute®, analyzes the latest issues in wetland regulation, policy, science, and management through feature articles written by local, national, and international experts from a variety of perspectives.
For more information on the National Wetlands Newsletter and the articles contained in the September-October 2008 issue, please contact:
Rachel Jean-Baptiste
Editor
National Wetlands Newsletter
(202) 558.3101
Jean-baptiste@eli.org.