The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Small Wetlands Acquisition Program (SWAP) provides a solid foundation for conservation delivery and contributes to fulfilling the goals of the 2005 PPJV Implementation Plan (Plan). The Plan calls for perpetually protecting through easement acquisition an additional 1.4 million acres of wetlands and over 10 million acres of grassland. The SWAP has contributed to this goal by perpetually protecting almost 350,000 wetland acres and over one million grassland acres through conservation easements from 1987 through 2015. In addition, over 250,000 acres of land has been purchased in fee title and these lands are open to the public and provide recreational opportunities.
The development of the SWAP began more than 50 years ago. In the 1940’s,