What are some uses of wetlands?

We've had 2 cases go through the county court system where goofballs on 4 wheels ripped up wetlands. The fines and restitution exceeded $1,000.

Around here now that all the lakes are saturated with homes people are building 4,000 sq ft cabins on wetlands.

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"Do you believe in the devil? You know, a supreme evil being dedicated to the temptation, corruption, and destruction of man?" Hobbs
"I'm not sure that man needs the help." Calvin

I just had to chime back in. Went down today to apply for the wetland permit. Smart owners who subdivided the larger parcel had a geo survey done so I had the map showing the swamp from the uplands. (This is in coastal NC, population 4,300.). It wasn’t a problem getting the permit since we aren’t taking the 1/10 of each acre (THUD). But while I was there she looked up the property on the satellite map just to make sure we weren’t on a lake or something. Looking at the area she says to me, “Do you see that?”…I’m like..errr, yeah, what? “That cleared area, right there!! You see it?? (it was tiny, maybe less then ¼ acre) That wasn’t there before!! I know it wasn’t it!! I think that is wetlands they are disturbing!! I’m going out there tomorrow to check it out!! They will get a great big fat fine if they are even walking on it!”. Oh brother……with my luck they’ll catch me on satellite putting sketter Dunks in the swamp water…or even worse picking up twigs or a flower. Maybe I should start smiling to the sky. Be afraid, be very afraid!! Big brother is watching and he’s paying someone in the office to look at your land from above!!
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for saving wetlands as they are needed but geezzz, there has got to be more balance. If I was putting a development on the 11.5 acres for a 5k permit I could have filled it all in & dug a smaller holding pond. But since I"m putting up a new/old farm house then I have to keep my hands off my own land...

KAT

Hmm, here we grow fiddleheads in it, and cranberries and blueberries. And sell them.

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http://www.mofga.org/

http://www.mofga.org/Programs/FarmAp...2/Default.aspx

Grow Taro and make lots and lots of Poi.

The gooberment rents the wetlands from us. they pay us not to use it for livestock.
They pay for the fence to keep the livestock out.
They paid for a new well and windmill to pump and water troughs so the livestock could have alternative water.
They pay for bridges and culverts to get the livestock across it without pooping in it.
They pay us to mow it every year, and they buy trees/shrubs for us to plant on it.
They also pay us to maintain the newly planted trees/shrubs.
We're kind of wishing we had more wetlands....
Program is called CREP, BTW. It's real, I'm not joking.

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Hut on the Hill Farm
http://www.hutonthehill.org

Told ya.