WETLANDS WHAT ARE THEY AND WHY ARE THEY

WETLANDS WHAT ARE THEY AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?

PART TWO: WHY ARE WETLANDS IMPORTANT?

The 3 MOST Important Jobs That Wetlands Do: #1. ABSORB Water #2. FILTER Water #3. Provide HABITAT

WETLAND JOB #1 ABSORB WATER

WETLANDS ARE PLACES WHERE WATER COLLECTS WHEN THERE ARE HEAVY RAINS OR WHEN THE SNOW MELTS IN THE SPRING.

WETLANDS REDUCE THE IMPACTS OF FLOODING BY HOLDING WATER IN LOW AREAS INSTEAD OF QUICKLY ADDING IT TO STREAMS AND RIVERS.

WETLANDS ACT LIKE A SPONGE. THEY HOLD THAT WATER AND ALLOW IT TO SOAK INTO THE GROUND TO SUPPLY OTHER WETLANDS AND GROUNDWATER THAT WE DRINK.

WETLAND JOB #2 FILTER WATER

WETLANDS TRAP SOIL THAT WAS CARRIED BY EROSION. WETLAND PLANTS MAY HOLD ON TO 90% OF THE SOIL THAT WAS ERODED AND CARRIED TO IT BY RUNOFF. WETLANDS KEEP THAT ERODED SOIL OUT OF STREAMS AND RIVERS WHERE IT CAN BURY STREAM LIFE AND HURTS WATER QUALITY.

WETLANDS CLEAN WATER BY REMOVING CHEMICAL POLLUTION. CATTAILS AND OTHER WETLAND PLANTS TAKE HARMFUL CHEMICALS OUT OF THE WATER AND HOLD THEM INSIDE OF THEIR STRUCTURES. BACTERIA IN THE WETLAND SOILS CAN BREAK DOWN CHEMICAL POLLUTION.

WETLAND JOB #3 PROVIDE HABITAT

WETLANDS PROVIDE A HOME FOR A GREAT VARIETY OF LIVING THINGS LIKE PLANTS, WATER BIRDS, REPTILES AND INSECTS.

FOREST HILL NATURE AREA’S WETLANDS: MALLARD MARSH THE MARSH IS A WETLAND THAT HAS GRASSES AND CATTAILS AS THE MAJOR TYPES OF PLANTS. MALLARD MARSH WAS ONCE LIKE GREBE POND BUT HAS SLOWLY FILLED IN WITH SOIL OVER TIME.

WHAT ANIMALS LIVE IN THE MARSH? RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, MUSKRATS, FROGS, HERONS AND DUCKS ARE SOME LIVING THINGS THAT CALL MALLARD MARSH HOME.

WETLANDS MAKE A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT!

Review Questions: 1. What is the #1 Job of a WETLAND?

Review Questions: 1. What is the #1 Job of a WETLAND? ABSORB and hold onto surface runoff from rain or snow melt which helps reduce flooding.

Review Questions: 2. What is the #2 Job of a WETLAND?

Review Questions: 2. What is the #2 Job of a WETLAND? FILTER the water and make it cleaner.

Review Questions: 3. What is the #3 Job of a WETLAND?

Review Questions: 3. What is the #3 Job of a WETLAND? Provide HABITAT for living things.

WETLANDS HAVE SO MANY BENEFITS THAT WE CAN’T AFFORD NOT TO HAVE THEM AROUND. WE ALL NEED TO APPRECIATE ALL THEY DO FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT AND WORK HARD TO PROTECT THEM!