In Practical Terms… It’s land that is regularly covered or soaked with water for part or all of the year and has a presence of wet- adapted species. They are neither land nor water but transition zones that combine features of both. Nova Scotia Environment and Labour NSEL) recognizes that wetlands are a particularly sensitive habitat and that alteration of wetlands can cause a significant adverse environmental effect.

How Do I Know It’s a Wetland?? Mechanisms for Wetland Identification All three parameters must be present: hydrology - conditions where the land is saturated enough to promote aquatic plant growth soil type - presence of hydric soils or soils that form under conditions of saturation long enough to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper part vegetation - obligate/facultative wetland species

So, What is an Alteration? Alteration is defined as filling, draining, flooding or excavating. This includes building a driveway or road

Compliance The primary goal of NSEL is to obtain voluntary compliance with the Act & Regulations. In the event of a non-compliance, an inspector may use any one, or combination, of the following enforcement tools: Environmental Warning Report Summary Offence Ticket (SOT) with penalties ranging from $ Information or Long Form Prosecution Ministerial Order (Sections of the Act)

Wetland Delineation does not involve heavy equipment.