Current approaches to wetland status and trends monitoring in prairie Canada and the continental United States of America

Abstract

Canada and the United States share a common concern for the North American wetland resource. Despite their ecological and social importance, comprehensive and scientifically sound data on the national status and trends of Canadian wetlands are lacking. Conversely, in the United States, a nationwide comprehensive inventory and monitoring program providing status and trends information is currently implemented. Canada and the United States recognize that national policy and management questions about wetland resource status rely on scientifically based processes to periodically measure wetland status and trends. Both countries have developed monitoring schemes independently. Program similarities include the selection of a probabilistic sample design and a common definition of wetland loss. Program similarities and the shared concern over the North American wetland resource should act as a catalyst for further cross-border cooperation in the areas of wetlands inventory and monitoring. National wetland monitoring in Canada could likely be accomplished through a program similar to the currently operational US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) programs. This paper reviews the operational programs implemented by the USFWS to monitor wetlands at a national scale and the CWS to monitor wetlands in prairie Canada for the purpose of providing suggestions for the development of a national wetlands monitoring program in Canada.