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Wetland Law and Policy: Overview

The Wetland Book

Abstract

The term “wetland law and policy” refers to the legally related rules developed by governments that pertain to activities that affect wetlands. When used in a general sense, wetland law and policy encompasses a broad range of instruments, including “…legislation, such as statutes, acts, decrees, and ordinances; regulations and other rules promulgated by agencies that have the force of law; and policies, which depending on the jurisdiction may also have the force of the law or may merely provide principles or rules that guide a decision-making process” (Gardner et al. 2012). It can also include judicial decisions that apply or interpret the legislation, regulations, and policies. Wetland law and policy may govern activities that have the potential to harm wetlands as well as activities that may benefit wetlands and the ecosystem services they provide.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy, Stetson University College of Law, 1401 61st Street South, Gulfport, FL, 33707-3299, USA

    C. Max Finlayson

  2. Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, PO Box 789, 2640, Albury, NSW, Australia

    Royal C. Gardner

  3. UNESCO-IHE, Delft, The Netherlands

    Royal C. Gardner

Authors
  1. C. Max Finlayson
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  2. Royal C. Gardner
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to C. Max Finlayson or Royal C. Gardner .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Ecology and Biodiversity, Charles Sturt University Inst. for Land, Water and Society, Albury, New South Wales, Australia

    C. Max Finlayson

  2. Great Somerford, Wiltshire, United Kingdom

    Mark Everard

  3. Chair of Aquatic Ecosystems, UNESCO-IHE Chair of Aquatic Ecosystems, Delft, The Netherlands

    Kenneth Irvine

  4. RM Wetland & Environment Ltd. , Littleworth, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

    Robert J. McInnes

  5. USGS National Wetlands Research Center , Lafayette, Louisiana, USA

    Beth A. Middleton

  6. Dept. of Water Science and Engineering, UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education Dept. of Water Science and Engineering, Delft, Zuid-Holland, The Netherlands

    Anne A. van Dam

  7. Charles Sturt University , Albury, New South Wales, Australia

    Nick C. Davidson

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© 2016 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Finlayson, C.M., Gardner, R.C. (2016). Wetland Law and Policy: Overview. In: Finlayson, C., et al. The Wetland Book. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6172-8_178-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6172-8_178-2

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  • Online ISBN: 978-94-007-6172-8

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Wetland Law and Policy: Overview
    Published:
    05 January 2017

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6172-8_178-3

  2. Original

    Wetland Law and Policy: Overview
    Published:
    13 September 2016

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6172-8_178-2

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