In a win for conservationists, a city has taken action against and come to an agreement with a homeowner who destroyed protected wetlands on their property.
Protected lands, plants, and animals are held sacrosanct by many members of society — not only environmentalists but also those who enjoy outdoor recreation or have a special attachment to land or critters they hold dear. Considering the size of those constituencies, it is no surprise that stories about such spaces being violated often gain attention online.
According to the News-Times, Danbury, Connecticut, recently played host to tens of thousands of dollars' worth of environmental controversy.
The city reached a settlement with a landowner who filled 1.5 acres of a 15-acre protected wetland with soil and wood chips and cut down several trees vital to the ecosystem.
The agreement is worth $26,000 and, according to the outlet, calls for the removal of fill material and "planting 12 trees, 60 shrubs, and '181 units of ferns and grasses.'"
It seems that every party is ready to get to work after 10 months of negotiation. "We hope that we can move on to the next step," Dainius Virbickas, the engineer representing the homeowner, said in a statement.
Legal action such as this is a cornerstone of environmental regulation; bringing down consequences on corporations, governments, and individuals in violation gives these protections teeth. And while hard-fought conservation victories are possible, it is important to take note of the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, which has made the precedent these cases stand on shaky.
Of all protected lands, wetlands are some of the most important.
Not only are they incredibly biodiverse environments that house unique species, but they also serve key functions, including naturally filtering water, preventing or mitigating floods, and protecting shorelines from erosion.
They are also economically important, directly and indirectly supporting various industries. Companies rely on wetlands' unique flora and fauna to produce medicines, and the areas shelter species that are commercially fished.
Unfortunately, wetlands have developed a false and harmful reputation over the years. From myths of dangerous swamp monsters to archaic ideas of diseased waters, people have been taught to keep them at a boat pole's length.
This misinformation makes fighting for wetlands all the more important, and victories such as those won in Danbury are vital to their cause.
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