WETLANDS WHAT ARE THEY AND WHY ARE THEY

WETLANDS WHAT ARE THEY AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?

PART THREE: HOW HAVE PEOPLE TREATED WETLANDS?

IN THE PAST, PEOPLE THOUGHT WETLANDS WERE “WASTE LAND” BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THEY WERE! THEY WERE DIFFICULT TO TRAVEL THROUGH. THEY WERE BELIEVED TO BE THE DWELLING PLACE OF EVIL SPIRITS! (NOT TO MENTION OGRES!)

PEOPLE DIDN’T LIKE THEM BECAUSE DISEASE CARRYING MOSQUITOES AND OTHER INSECTS LIVED THERE.

PEOPLE DUMPED THEIR TRASH IN WETLANDS AND FILLED THEM WITH SOIL AND ROCKS FROM OTHER PLACES SO THEY COULD BUILD ON THEM.

PEOPLE DUG DITCHES AND PUT IN UNDERGROUND DRAIN PIPES (“TILES”) TO MAKE THE WATER GO “AWAY” SO THAT THEY COULD USE THE SOILS THAT USED TO BE WET. THAT WATER WENT DOWN HILL TO HELP CAUSE FLOODING OF OTHER PEOPLES’ FIELDS, TOWNS AND HOMES.

GRATIOT COUNTY AND MANY OTHER PARTS OF MICHIGAN HAVE LOST MUCH OF THEIR WETLANDS.

Review Questions: 1. Name 2 reasons why people didn’t like wetlands:

Review Questions: 1. Name 2 reasons why people didn’t like wetlands: Were “wasted” land they couldn’t build on or plant crops in. Had insects that caused disease.

Review Questions: 2. What did people do that destroyed wetlands?

Review Questions: 2. What did people do that destroyed wetlands? Filled them in to build on. Drained them with pipes called “tiles”.

Review Questions: 3. How much of Gratiot county’s wetlands have been lost?

Review Questions: 3. How much of Gratiot county’s wetlands have been lost? Over 80%