Wetlands
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What is it?
The Clean Water Act defines wetlands as, “those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs and similar areas.”
Wetlands vary widely because of regional and local differences in soils, topography, climate, hydrology, water chemistry, vegetation, and other factors, including human disturbance.
Why should you care?
Wetlands absorb so much water that they can actually help control flooding. Wetlands soak up water from runoff during storms and slowly release the water into rivers and stream during the next few weeks. This slow release of water, rather than a flood of water right after a storm, can prevent flooding.
Wetlands also provide us with many of the foods we eat. Cranberries and rice are grown in flooded plains and bogs. Blueberries and persimmons grow in wetlands. Crabs and shrimps are wetland food sources. Rockfish, bluefish, catfish, perch, pickerel, salmon, and other fish need wetlands during at least part of their life cycle.
Wetlands also give us many opportunities for recreation, including bird watching, wildlife photography, hunting, fishing, swimming and boating. Wetlands are fun!
Most importantly, wetlands provide a home for thousands of species of birds, mammals, and other animals and plants. Wetlands play a big role in keeping our water clean, and it’s up to us to make sure they stick around. In fact 43% of endangered species need wetlands for survival. That’s almost half of all species that are endangered. So this shows the kind of diversity wetlands attract.
What can you do?
Create partnerships among your neighbors, local non-profits, local corporations and government agencies to encourage state and local governments to establish programs to effectively protect wetlands, especially inland wetlands, within their borders. Individual landowners and corporations are important partners in this effort because they own many of the nation’s wetlands. They are in a key position to determine the fate of wetlands on their properties. All citizens however, whether or not they own wetlands, can help protect wetlands by supporting wetlands conservation initiatives.
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