Welcome to the first of eight newsletters we will be sending you leading up to our celebration of American Wetlands Month in May. Each issue will address a specific aspect of America s wetlands and provide links to additional resources to help raise your awareness of the value and importance of wetlands.
The Izaak Walton League is national coordinator for American Wetlands Month. Leading our effort are Leah Miller, Director of Watershed Programs and Kami Watson, Coordinator of the Save Our Streams program. Information on how to contact them can be found in the left hand menu of this and future newsletters.
In this inaugural issue you will get a general overview of the what, where and why of wetlands. Other topics we plan to cover in these newsletters will focus on the theme for American Wetlands Month 2005 It Pays to Save Wetlands. Six issues will explore economic values of wetlands including outdoor recreation, fisheries, timber and food production, water purification, flood reduction and erosion control, and less tangible values such as spiritual renewal, inspiration for artwork, and education. The last issue will provide practical information on how you can take action to conserve wetlands.
So let s begin!
What is a wetland exactly?
Well, lots of wetlands are pretty easy to spot; they re wet, or saturated with water, most of the time. Scientists generally agree that a wetland can be identified by a certain combination of soils, plants, and wetness. A wetland can contain either fresh or salt water depending on its location.
However, others may be wet, or contain water, for only short periods of time during a given year. Scientists typically describe wetlands as areas that separate dry land from open water. Sometimes, they are covered with a shallow layer of water, but there are also wetlands that can be dry for part of the year. Some wetlands never have visible water, but the soil is usually damp.
Wetlands are found in every state. Perhaps one of the most famous wetlands is the Florida Everglades. This national treasure, which happens to also be the world s largest marsh, is currently undergoing a 20-year restoration plan that aims to reverse a century-long process of drainage and degradation. While costs are projected to exceed $2 billion, a coalition of local citizens, Indian tribes and businesses consider their state symbol to be valued well above this amount. To find out more about what is being done to ensure that the Everglades truly last forever, go to www.evergladesplan.org.
Wetlands are among the Earth s most important ecosystems, providing many benefits, including food and habitat for fish and wildlife; flood protection; erosion control; food for human consumption; water quality improvement; and opportunities for recreation, education and research.
How many wetlands are there in the United States?
The lower 48 States once contained more than 200 million acres of wetlands. For many years (all the way up until the early 1900's) they were looked upon as "wastelands" because they were thought to provide few benefits to people.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that today the total wetland acreage in the lower 48 states has declined to about 105 million acres. Of this total, about 80 million acres are located on private lands. The overwhelming majority of our wetlands are freshwater ecosystems, and the rest are characterized by salt water.
Why is there so much debate and controversy over wetlands?
First of all, it is important to understand why wetlands are an important and valuable part of our environment. Wetlands provide necessary habitat for aquatic birds and other animals and plants, including numerous threatened and endangered species and commercially-produced fish and shellfish. Additionally, wetlands supply us with important services, such as water storage, flood and drought mitigation, water purification, outdoor recreation, timber production, food production, education and research opportunities, open space and aesthetic values.
In addition, an estimated 5,000 plants, 190 amphibians and reptiles, 35 percent of all birds, and 35 percent of all the federally listed threatened and endangered species depend on wetlands for their survival.
Given this range of benefits that wetlands produce, their decline not only has serious ecological consequences, but also important social and economic impacts. While efforts to conserve our remaining wetlands are increasing, the destruction and degradation of these valuable ecosystems continues to be a serious problem that we all need to address.
Future editions of this newsletter will address these wetland values in more detail.
What is happening to wetlands in the United States?
Between 1986 and 1997, the U.S. lost an estimated 644,000 acres of wetlands, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Currently, the USFWS estimates that wetland loss rate is now 58,500 acres annually. That s about 160 acres of wetlands every day, an area equivalent to almost 144 football fields!
Forested wetlands have experienced the greatest decline of all wetland types, with a total loss of 1.2 million acres.
The reasons for such drastic loss of wetlands include urban development, accounting for 30 percent of the decline; followed by agriculture (26 percent); forestry (23 percent); and rural development (21 percent).
Wetland Sights and Sounds written by Suzanne Zanelli.
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The Izaak Walton League of America, founded in 1922, is a national conservation organization committed to protecting fish and wildlife, critical habitat and water resources. The League has 50,000 members and supporters nationwide, and maintains a national office in Gaithersburg, Maryland and a Midwest office in St. Paul, Minnesota.
