Where are the nation’s wetlands and why are they important?
A wetland is an environment that is covered or saturated by water for at least part of the year. Every U.S. state contains wetlands – some are freshwater, and others are saltwater. Bogs, marshes, swamps, ponds, and estuaries are all wetlands. The soil in a wetland is rich in hydrogen and low in oxygen, meaning that there are many species that can survive only there. Wetlands protect their surrounding lands from tides, winds, storms, and flooding. They can absorb and release water like giant sponges. Since the early 1960s, people have recognized the importance of wetlands as both ecosystem and flood protection zone, beginning with the listing of internationally important wetlands. This led to conferences, scientific research, and international treaties concerning wetland preservation. (Source: Wikipedia, entry on “wetland.”)The ecology of wetlands can be threatened by naturally occurring or human-caused events. As land is paved over, it is less able to absorb water, so wetlands are taxe
