With regard to what actions to take to protect local wetlands- here is my advice :

1) Go to your local library or county land use offices and look up the critical areas map for your county/area AND National Wetlands Inventory Maps

2) Then get on line and look up your county critical areas ordinances for wetlands and riparian (stream) regulations- what are buffer zones? what are allowable actions in buffers? etc...

3) Then document what is going on- photos or notices of tree cutting or other actions.... In your case there maybe some policies about "dangerous" trees that allow them to cut them- but you could argue based on their wetland buffer regulations that this is buffer infringement ..etc...

4) You will need to discuss your findings with the county planning/ permitting folks.

5) You can also try the CORE since it is a wetland and they may have a CORE wetland permit (depending on the size of the impact)- they recently lower the limit of impacts allowable. You can familiarize yourself with the Clean Water Act - on line- also the CORE 's website may have useful info regarding all this.

oh- after rereading your email...I thought of this...is this creek a salmon creek? historically? if yes there are a host of other regulations to help you make your case...email me back if the answer is yes- if the answer is "I don't know" then look up the creek on Stream Net (online) or look for it on county critical areas maps- call local state fish and wildlife office (mill creek office may be best bet) and ask them if they know what fish are in this creek.

As you can see- a lot is involved in protesting a wetland impact- what often happens it that the county permit folks are too few and the wetland impacts too many and therefore many impacts slip through unnoticed. Good Luck and thanks for the reminder to act locally!
Sincerely,
Jennifer


Jennifer Seavey
Ecologist
EDAW, Inc
Seattle Washington
(206) 622-1176
email: SeaveyJ at edaw.com
web page: www.edaw.com

>>> Ileen Weber <iweber at seanet.com> 04/19/00 11:00AM >>>
I need information from someone who knows about wetland protection laws.

I live in a condo complex in south Everett, Snohomish County. The complex
is built along a creek with an area of protected wetland. It is posted as
a protected area.
Right now as I write there are tree cutters cutting down broken trees,
eliminating snags. I know it's too late to stop them today but who
regulates this and how can I find how what the rules/laws are? Is there
anything I can do to stop this in the future?

Please reply off Tweeters.

Ileen Weber
Everett, WA
iweber at seanet.com