6 • The Southwest Portland Post
Dear EarthTalk: Why are wetlands
so important to preserve?
– Patricia Mancuso, Erie, PA
Wetlands include swamps, marshes,
bogs, riverbanks, mangroves, flood-
plains, rice fields—and anywhere else,
according to the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA).
Saturation with water is the dominant
factor determining the nature of soil
development and the types of plant and
animal communities there.
Wetlands are widespread in every
country and on every continent except
Antarctica. If all the world’s wetlands
were put together, they would take up
an area one-third larger than the United
States.
Environmentalists, biologists and
others concerned about the health of the
planet and its inhabitants recognize the
key role wetlands play in life on Earth.
The EPA points out that, besides
containing a disproportionately high
FEATURES
number of plant and animal species
compared to other land forms, wetlands
serve a variety of ecological services.
Among those include feeding down-
stream waters, trapping floodwaters,
recharging groundwater supplies,
removing pollution and providing fish
and wildlife habitat.
Wetlands can also be key drivers of
local economies, given their importance
to agriculture, recreation and fishing.
According to Wetlands International,
a global non-profit dedicated to the con-
servation and restoration of wetlands
around the world, wetlands are on the
“front-line” as development pressures
increase everywhere.
“Wetlands are vulnerable to over-
exploitation due to their abundance
of fish, fuel and water,” reports the
group, which works on the ground in
18 countries to educate the public and
policymakers about the health of local
wetlands and to advocate for better
policies.
“When they are viewed as unproduc-
tive or marginal lands, wetlands are
targeted for drainage and conversion.”
“The rate of loss and deterioration of
wetlands is accelerating in all regions of
the world,” the group adds. “The pres-
sure on wetlands is likely to intensify
in the coming decades due to increased
global demand for land and water, as
well as climate change.”
The widespread expansion of devel-
opment in the U.S. in recent decades has
July 2013
brought the is-
sue of wetlands
loss to the fore-
front of debates
on zoning and
land use plan-
ning.
One of the
key and under-
lying issues is
concern about
endangered
species: More
than a third of
species on the
U . S . E n d a n - Oaks Bottom is a 141-acre floodplain wetland and wildlife refuge
gered Species located along the east bank of the Willamette River. (Photo courtesy
List live only in Wikipedia)
wetlands and
mitting and zoning processes.
almost half use them at some time dur-
Readers can do their part by staying
ing their lifecycles.
current on local zoning laws, keeping
While the issue lingers on in mu-
an eye on local wetlands and speaking
nicipal planning meetings around the
up if something looks amiss.
country, the federal government does
Potential problems are much easier
what it can to protect wetlands.
to resolve early on than after damage
It does so through regulations spelled
is done, so speaking up soon can often
out in the Clean Water Act, which in-
lead to more successful and less conten-
clude providing tax incentives for sell-
tious outcomes.
ing or giving wetlands to land trusts or
Contacts: EPA Wetlands, water.epa.
other conservation groups, via coopera-
gov/type/wetlands/; Wetlands Interna-
tive efforts with state and local entities,
tional, www.wetlands.org.
and by acquiring wetlands outright to
EarthTalk® is written and edited by
add acreage to public lands systems.
Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a reg-
And several states have passed laws
istered trademark of E - The Environmental
to regulate activities in wetlands, and
Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send
many municipalities include wetlands
questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com.
conservation in their development per-
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Excellent SW Portland references