In the late 1980s, the United States established a "no net loss" policy in regards to wetlands. Simply stated, this policy called for the construction or restoration of artificial wetlands whenever an action would lead to the destruction of an existing wetland. This would ensure that the overall area of wetlands in the United States would remain constant. While a noble goal, many researchers have argued that both artificial and restored wetlands are not biologically equal in quality with their natural counterparts. With this in mind, write a research-based paper evaluating the success of the "no net loss" policy. Additionally, you must provide at least four scholarly sources, as well as your text, as you address each of the following topics and questions in detail.
- Briefly summarize the "no net loss" policy, providing its history and background.
- Determine whether constructed and restored wetlands are biologically equal to natural wetlands. Use research to support your thoughts.
- Evaluate the success of the policy based on your findings above.
Your paper must be two to three pages in length (excluding title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. All sources must be properly cited in text as well as on the reference page. For information regarding APA samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center, located within the Learning Resources tab on the left navigation toolbar.