Wetlands Month
Yiraika Daimaru
Learn about wetlands. This is a great time to better understand what a wetland is, where wetlands can be found, and the importance of wetlands in your community. Read about what some State and Tribes are doing to protect their wetlands.
Explore a wetland near you. Wetlands occur in all 50 states, so there is a good chance a scenic wetland exists nearby for you to visit and explore during American Wetlands Month and throughout the year! To find a wetland near you, consult your local parks department, state natural resource agency or the United States Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wetlands Inventory.
Wetlands can absorb excess rain or river water so they protect against flooding. They are a form of green infrastructure that also provides recreational opportunities and serves as important habitat for many wildlife species. They are both an effective and economical way to enhance community safety while improving quality of life.
American Wetlands Month was created in 1991 by EPA and its federal, state, tribal, local, non-profit, and private sector partners to celebrate the vital importance of wetlands to the Nation's ecological, economic, and social health and to educate Americans about the value of wetlands as a natural resource. Historically, annual events such as national and regional conferences have been organized to include a broad range of people including wetland scientists, educators and public interest.
This year the Service is highlighting the release of our national 2009-2019 Wetlands Status and Trends report, the 6th in a series of congressionally mandated reports spanning nearly 70 years. These reports influence wetland policy and resource management by driving collaboration and cooperative planning between federal, state, and local partners and informing decision-making around natural resource management.
The report found that net wetland loss increased by 50% over the past decade with vegetated wetlands, like marshes and swamps, being disproportionately impacted. These wetlands are disappearing so quickly that 670,000 acres were lost between 2009 and 2019, an area approximately equal to the land area of Rhode Island. These losses lead to the reduced health, safety, and prosperity of all Americans, as well as the decline of commercially, culturally, and recreationally valuable species. The important scientific information in this report is a call to action and provides an opportunity for the country to work together in response.
Wetlands offer many significant benefits for fish and wildlife, as well as society. They provide habitat for thousands of species of aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals. Wetlands are valuable for flood protection, water-quality improvement, shoreline-erosion control, natural products, recreation, and aesthetics.
The California Water Science Center examines multiple factors when it comes to wetlands, including their aquatic health, their role in a healthy ecosystem, and environmental and man-made influences that affect wetlands.
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Performing mid-monitoring inspection of a five-year old concurrent compensatory mitigation site in Skagit County. It was implemented to offset impacts to wetlands and other aquatic resources resulting from a commercial development.
Our updated Wetland Mitigation in Washington State: Part 1: Agency Policies and Guidance is designed to help the regulated public meet federal and state laws and rules to ensure unavoidable, adverse impacts to state wetlands are successfully offset.
We updated the guidance in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). Last fall, the agencies held a 60-day comment period so the public could review and comment on the document.
The updated guidance reflects how state and federal requirements and expectations for wetland mitigation align, giving applicants better predictability and consistency for their projects, plans, and actions. The requirements apply to public and private developers, local governments, and state agencies in Washington.
EPA provided a Wetland Program Development grant to help support our work to ensure we provide project proponents and local governments the best, most up-to-date guidance. Our document incorporates new information, including:
Beyond their wildlife benefits, wetlands provide key services for human communities. They protect against flooding and sea-level rise, help to recharge groundwater, and provide amazing opportunities for birdwatching and other recreation. Wetlands also naturally filter out pollutants, improving water quality and making our rivers and estuaries healthier for fish, other wildlife and people.
May is American Wetlands Month, and this year we want to celebrate all the work private landowners have done to help wetlands thrive. Private landowners have worked with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to enroll over 2.8 million acres in wetland conservation easements. These wetlands protect plants and provide habitat for wildlife, including endangered or threatened species.
Wetlands are one of our most productive ecosystems and provide enrichment and enjoyment. They also filter water, reduce soil loss, sequester carbon from the atmosphere, reduce flooding, and recharge groundwater. They even provide recreational opportunities like hunting and fishing.
Farmers, ranchers, and private landowners have worked with NRCS to create, restore, and enhance wetlands for decades. They have incorporated wetlands into their operations for the benefits to the environment and their land. To help realize these benefits they have worked with us for assistance through our programs and services.
NRCS offers financial and technical assistance to farmers and private landowners through programs to create, restore, and enhance wetlands. Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE) offers opportunities to put marginal cropland and other eligible land into permanent and 30-year easements. NRCS accepts ACEP WRE applications year-round but applications are ranked and funded by enrollment periods. Each state sets the application deadlines for enrollment periods; contact your local service center for information.
American Wetlands Month saw its inception in 1991. The Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) and its partners across various sectors brought it into action to acknowledge the value of wetlands as a natural resource. Ever since E.P.A. has taken the responsibility to conduct adequate research and spread the word through regional and national conferences. The people working and participating in these events are primarily tied to wetland conservation and research. They include educators, non-profit groups, scientists, researchers, and public interest communities, to name a few.
A major highlight of this annual celebration is the National Wetlands Awards, sponsored by the Environmental Law Institute. They pick out individuals every year and reward them for their outstanding effort, excellence, and innovation in wetland preservation. This is a vital step to recognizing the work that goes into the safekeeping of these natural habitats.
The best way to celebrate American Wetlands Month is to do something for the preservation and restoration of wetlands. Look for volunteering activities or work with local conservation groups to do your bit for the environment.
This month was initiated to educate Americans on the crucial role that wetlands play in upholding ecological balance. We also need to learn how to protect the wetlands, and this month is the perfect time for it.
The American Wetlands Month urges local governments, communities, and groups to work towards the restoration of wetlands by implementing effective policies and watershed planning efforts. It is time to put more effort into protecting the wetlands.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency first established American Wetlands Month in 1991, in recognition of their contributions to ecological, economic and social health. Here at NHDES, we celebrate American Wetlands Month every May because your local wetlands may well be the unsung heroes of your local area environment.
May is also a perfect time to get outside and visit or learn more about a wetland near you. Even though they cover less than 10% of New Hampshire, wetlands remain incredibly productive ecosystems. They support plant and animal life, healthy soil formation, erosion protection and especially flood control. They also help remove unwanted or excessive nutrients, toxins and sediments upstream from critical drinking water sources. Researchers continue to study and share new findings on other ways wetlands help with climate change impacts.
Wetlands contribute to clean water by helping filter pollutants such as nitrates, ammonium, phosphorus and various types of pesticides. Wetlands also store massive amounts of carbon in their plants and soils which would otherwise be released as carbon dioxide. This is one of many reasons why New Hampshire offers millions of dollars annually in grant awards for wetland and stream restoration projects.
May is American Wetlands Month, a time to celebrate these amazing ecosystems that are often undervalued. In 1991, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined forces with federal, state, tribal, local governments, non-profit organizations, and private businesses to establish American Wetlands Month. This annual celebration aims to educate the public about the critical importance of wetlands, which are the vital link between land and water, providing a wealth of benefits for both nature and people.
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