▁other ▁wild life ▁species . ▁ 8 0 % ▁of ▁these ▁for ests ▁have ▁been ▁cleared ▁and ▁natural ▁flo oding ▁has ▁been ▁reduced ▁by ▁ 5 0 – 9 0 %. ▁Rest oring ▁waters h eds When ▁waters h eds ▁are ▁dist urbed , ▁cont amin ants ▁was h ▁into ▁wet lands ▁which ▁then ▁dis rupt s ▁the ▁plants , ▁fish , ▁and ▁animals . ▁D U ▁rest ores ▁dra ined ▁wet lands , ▁protect s ▁stream ▁cor rid ors ▁and ▁establish es ▁buffer ▁stri ps ▁that ▁filter ▁nut ri ents ▁and ▁s ilt . ▁Edu c ating ▁land own ers ▁D U ▁works ▁with ▁far mers , ▁ran ch ers ▁and ▁other ▁land own ers ▁to ▁improve ▁the ▁agricult ural ▁and ▁recre ational ▁value ▁of ▁their ▁land ▁while ▁making ▁it ▁more ▁wild life - friend ly . ▁Conserv ation ▁eas ements ▁Conserv ation ▁eas ements ▁protect ▁the ▁natural ▁resource ▁values ▁of ▁a ▁property ▁in ▁perpet u ity . ▁The ▁land owner ▁maintain s ▁actual ▁ownership ▁of ▁the ▁land , ▁but ▁agre es ▁to ▁certain ▁development ▁restrictions . ▁ ▁Since ▁ 7 5 % ▁of ▁U . S . ▁wet lands ▁are ▁on ▁private ▁property , ▁conservation ▁eas ements ▁play ▁a ▁cru cial ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁conservation ▁movement . ▁Ac qu iring ▁land ▁The ▁direct ▁purchase ▁of ▁wet lands ▁to ▁restore ▁and ▁protect ▁it . ▁Once ▁rest oration ▁is ▁complete , ▁D U ▁generally ▁s ells ▁or ▁don ates ▁the ▁property ▁to ▁a ▁group ▁or ▁ag ency ▁that ▁will ▁manage ▁it ▁for ▁wild