Freshwater wetlands and salt marshes are critical ecosystems that provide a suite of environmental and societal services including:
- maintaining and improving water quality and quantity (surface and ground);
- reducing impacts and damage due to flooding and storm surges;
- providing habitat for wildlife and other wetland dependent species;
- providing opportunities for recreation and education; and
- producing products that create opportunities for economic development.
Nova Scotia Environment recognizes that wetlands are a particularly sensitive habitat and that alterations of wetlands can cause a significant adverse environmental effect.
The Activities Designation Regulations (July 20, 2007) require than an approval be obtained from the department for any activity that would result in alteration of a wetland.