When the national wetland plant list was initially rolled out to the web in May 2012 the Corp’s Regulatory Office said there would be periodic changes.
Fast-forward a little over a year later and the list is experiencing its first change.
“The list was always intended to be a work in progress,” said David Knepper, a Norfolk District environmental scientist. “It was recognized that rating could change due to updated plant taxonomy and nomenclature.”
The changes also include new species identified or re-evaluation of borderline species by panels of botanists.
The 2013 NWPL features 7937 plant species, which is a reduction of 263 species from 2012, as well as indicator status changes for seven species.
According to Knepper, the seven species changes occurred due to the Biota of North America Program reviewing and accepting challenges to the previous list.
The majority of the deletions were a result of removing some upland species, taxonomic splits, merged species and the correction of three errors.
A full list of the changes can be found under the “What’s New?” section of the NWPL website.
The list is used by federal agencies that have responsibilities in regulating wetlands in helping to make wetland delineations or determinations.
Agencies will use the 2013 NWPL on all new jurisdictional determinations beginning Sept. 1.