Georgia NWI Help

PROVISION OF HABITAT FOR UNIQUE, UNCOMMON, OR HIGHLY DIVERSE PLANT COMMUNITIES

This function is used to identify wetlands that are unique or uncommon wetland types in a watershed or other study area, or that represent highly diverse plant communities. All riverine and palustrine tidal emergent and scrub-shrub wetlands (regularly flooded, seasonally flooded- tidal, and semipermanently flooded-tidal) and estuarine oligohaline vegetated wetlands are identified as significant for this function because they often possess some of the most diverse wetland plant communities along the Atlantic Coast. While Phragmites-dominated wetlands are generally excluded from this listing, any wetland supporting stands of the native species should be recognized as a significant habitat. While this type was not mapped during the updated inventory, it may be added from documented occurrences if desirable. Generally, however, the use of Natural Heritage Program data and other data are beyond the scope of this remotely sensed approach to wetland functional analysis. Consequently, wetlands designated as potentially significant for this function by the W-PAWF assessment are simply a starting point or, in other words, a foundation to build upon. Local knowledge of significant wetlands and Natural Heritage Program data can be applied by others to further refine the list of wetlands important for this function for specific geographic areas.

The following are examples of wetland types viewed as potentially significant for the provision of habitat for unique or diverse wetland plant communities in coastal Georgia (Note: The ones underlined were identified during the inventory):

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