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Wetlands Assessments

Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) wetlands assessments quantify the effects of voluntary conservation efforts for wetlands located in agricultural settings at both regional and national scales.

About Wetlands Assessments

Wetlands occur where water covers the soil or is present near the soil surface either seasonally or year-round. They include marshes, swamps, bogs, and fens. Beyond providing wildlife habitat and increasing biodiversity, wetlands serve to remove sediments, nutrients, and other pollutants, contain floodwaters, and store carbon. Through CEAP, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) develops monitoring and modeling processes that improve wetland conservation efforts on private working lands.

CEAP assessments of wetlands across multiple scales inform voluntary conservation actions for a diversity of land managers and partners by improving predictions of responses in wetland functions and ecosystem services. Details on the methods for wetlands assessments are available on the CEAP Frequently Asked Questions page.

Wetlands Publications

Reports, Articles, and Bibliographies
Wetlands in the foreground, with a tree line and light blue skies in the background.
The below publications provide data and associated insights on the effects of voluntary conservation across the nation's wetlands. Categories include reports and articles and bibliographies. Within each category publications are organized in descending order by date.

Reports and Articles

Bibliography

Fact Sheets: Conservation Insights and Science Notes
Wetlands, with blooming plants in the foreground and tress below blue skies in the background.
The below fact sheets include Conservation Insights and Science Notes on the effects of voluntary conservation on wetlands. Fact sheets within each category are organized in descending order by date.

Conservation Insights

Science Notes

Webinars and Blogs
Wetlands with a bird box, with cloudy blue skies above.
The below Conservation Outcomes Webinar recordings feature scientists and other subject matter experts speaking on the effects of voluntary conservation across the nation's wetlands. Blogs related to CEAP wetlands assessments are also included. Webinar recordings are organized in descending order by date.

Conservation Outcomes Webinars

  • March 25, 2021 – Quantifying Ecosystem Functions to Facilitate Wetland Monitoring and Assessment: Webinar Recording
  • October 22, 2020 – Quantifying Conservation Effects on Multiple Wetland Ecosystem Services: Understanding Tradeoffs is the Name of the Game: Webinar Recording

Blogs

Additional Resources

Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP)

USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) is a multi-agency effort led by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to quantify the effects of conservation practices across the nation’s working lands.

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Frequently Asked Questions | Conservation Effects Assessment Project

This webpage provides answers to frequently asked questions about the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP).

Last Updated: February 28, 2023

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Publications | Conservation Effects Assessment Project

USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project, CEAP, provides a suite of publications highlighting the effects of voluntary conservation across the nation’s working lands. 

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Conservation Outcomes Webinar Series

The bi-monthly Conservation Outcomes Webinar Series provides key findings, data, and tools to support producers and partners in pursuing voluntary conservation efforts across the nation's working lands. 

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Joe Prenger

Wetlands Lead, Conservation Effects Assessment Project