That is an excellent and important question. When a recession occurs, development tends to take precedence over collective goods. However, you have to consider that a wetland provides society with ecological goods and services worth $10,000 per hectare. If that $10,000 per hectare is lost, society will have to pay for it. If a recession occurs and society develops its wetlands, it will wind up in greater distress and have fewer goods and services.
On May 23rd, 2013. See this statement in context.