What type of land does the Wetland Reserve Easement seek to restore?

The Wetland Reserve Easement is specifically designed to restore and protect wetlands, which are areas that can be unproductive for traditional agricultural purposes but provide significant ecological benefits. Unproductive farmland often includes lands that have been drained or degraded, making them less suitable for conventional crop production. These lands can often be transformed back into functioning wetlands, enhancing biodiversity, improving water quality, and providing wildlife habitat. The primary goal of this program is to reacquire these types of lands and manage them in a way that focuses on ecological health rather than agricultural productivity.

Urban development sites, high-yield agricultural land, and forested land do not align with the objectives of the Wetland Reserve Easement. Urban areas typically focus on development rather than restoration, while high-yield agricultural land represents productive farming areas that would not benefit from conversion to wetlands. Forested land may have its own conservation needs, but it does not fall under the specific goals of restoring wetlands as prioritized by the Wetland Reserve Easement program.