This Riparian-Wetland Initiative for the 1990's provides a blue print for management and restoration of riparian-wetland areas encompassing 23.7 million acres of BLM lands. This overall national strategy complements other plans such as Waterfowl Habitat Management on Public Lands, A Strategy for the Future; Fish and Wildlife 2000; Range of Our Vision; and Recreation 2000 in an interdisciplinary, multi-program, cooperative effort.

Four nationwide riparian-wetland goals have been established:

• Restore and maintain riparian-wetland areas so that 75 percent or more are in proper functioning condition by 1997. The overall objective is to achieve an advanced ecological status, except where resource management objectives, including proper functioning condition, would require an earlier successional stage.

• Protect riparian-wetland areas and associated uplands through proper land management and avoid or mitigate negative impacts. Acquire and expand key areas to provide for their maximum public benefit, protection, enhancement, and efficient management.

• Ensure an aggressive riparian-wetland information/outreach program, including providing training and research.

• Improve partnerships and cooperative restoration and management processes in implementing the riparian-wetland initiative.

Broad-based implementation strategies to achieve these goals have been established as well, with the major strategies falling into the following categories:

• Inventory/Classification. Collect, compile, and evaluate baseline information to determine current ecological status, potential, and condition.

• Land Use and Activity Plan Preparation/Revision. Develop/revise plans that involve riparian-wetland areas prescribing actions to meet management objectives.

• Project Development/Maintenance. Complete projects such as fences, water developments, tree planting, prescribed fire, and habitat improvement structures to create, improve, and/or maintain riparian-wetland conditions. Maintain projects to continue their beneficial use.

• Monitoring. Monitor to determine if management actions are meeting specific objectives for riparian-wetland areas.

• Protection/Mitigation. Avoid or mitigate the impact of surface disturbance activities on riparian-wetland areas.

• Acquisition/Expansion. Acquire and expand riparian-wetland areas primarily through land exchanges.

Achieving the goals is contingent on receiving the necessary funding, support, and cooperation. The approximate cost to achieve the riparian part of this Initiative is estimated to be $85 million from 1991 to 1995. A total of 300 additional riparian positions of various skills will be required. The wetland management part of this Initiative will require approximately $10 million for inventory, coordination and partnerships, and planning habitat development over the next 10 years. Also, it is estimated that it will cost approximately $32 million to implement the planned riparian-wetland expansions and acquisitions over the next 20 years. In summary, the total cost will be approximately $127 million, plus $2 million annually for wetland maintenance.

This Initiative does not establish specific objectives or priorities for actions. Most actions will be taken at the field level. Each state, through their individual strategic plans, establishes specific objectives and priorities to implement this Initiative consistent with laws, regulations, policy, and funding.