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Abstract
Current Federal wetland protection efforts, such as the Swampbuster provision of the 1985 farm act, may be insufficient to attain the administration's goal of "no net loss" in wetland acreage. One option is to establish a permanent wetland reserve program, which this report discusses. The report reviews why wetlands are important, looks at past and present Federal wetland policies, and examines the dimensions of a reserve under three sizes. The likely geographic distribution of the reserve and likely crop rotations affected are both analyzed, and potential easement and restoration costs are estimated. Key questions about how a reserve will be implemented are highlighted.