In 1991, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proclaimed May as American Wetlands Month to highlight the crucial role of wetlands in supporting water quality, wildlife habitats, the economy, and our social well-being. Today, numerous partners, including Environmental Concern, continue this mission, celebrating the beauty and importance of wetlands. American Wetlands Month is the ideal time to learn about the wetlands in your community; explore at a nearby park or nature trail; and most importantly, take action to benefit wetlands.
LEARN. Wetlands are “areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.” (www.epa.gov/cwa-404/)
Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth, with over one-third of threatened and endangered species relying on them for survival. Over 138 bird species and 200 fish species depend on wetlands for food, nesting, and protection. Wetland plants take up harmful pollutants and nutrients, and act as giant sponges, absorbing flood waters and waves from storms. One acre of wetlands can store over one million gallons of floodwater!
EXPLORE. Living in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, one might overlook the richness of its wetlands and the diverse species that inhabit the area. The vital functions of wetland ecosystems can easily be taken for granted by those who reside in this region.
The best way to learn about wetlands is to visit one in person. If your community has a natural public shoreline—one without riprap or bulkheads—this is an ideal location to experience a wetland habitat through sight, touch, and smell. Take the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of a living shoreline and its benefits for your quality of life. Use a net to dip into the water and observe the many creatures inhabiting the surface and the depths below. Be prepared for a unique aroma in the air; it’s the natural scent of organic matter breaking down, one of the many fascinating functions that make wetlands so essential. Paddling in a kayak or canoe is a fantastic way to discover wetlands from the water. You can also drive through Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, a Wetland of International Importance in Dorchester County, and observe wetland plants and wildlife from land. Embrace this chance to learn, explore, and cherish our invaluable wetlands!
TAKE ACTION. How can you become a wetland steward? One beneficial activity we can all participate in daily is picking up trash in and around wetlands, shorelines, ditches, and streets. This action will prevent trash from entering rivers and creeks. The most common litter in local waterways is household trash, including plastic cups, bags, fast-food wrappers, and bottles. Plastics can be especially hazardous to wildlife. Depending on their form, they can be ingested, or wildlife may choke on the plastic. Turtles and birds frequently become entangled in fishing lines and 6-pack carriers.
Installing rain gardens and planting native plants on your shoreline and roadside ditches will help filter pollutants and provide a wildlife habitat. In celebration of American Wetlands Month, take action in your backyard—plant native species when planning your garden or landscape design. Native plants need less care and attention and provide beneficial habitats for native birds, bees, and butterflies.
Environmental Concern (EC) will celebrate America Wetlands Month by spreading the word about the wonders of wetlands through wetland training, living shoreline restoration, and the cultivation of native plant species.
To learn more, please visit www.wetland.org or e-mail Julie Phillips, Environmental Concern’s Outreach and Education Coordinator, at [email protected].
About Environmental Concern: Environmental Concern is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation established in 1972 to promote public understanding and stewardship of wetlands with the goal of improving water quality and enhancing nature’s habitat. For the last 53 years, Environmental Concern has been working to restore the Bay…one wetland at a time.
Barbara Jorgenson says
This article is an additional call to arms for Kent County’s Eastern Neck Island and our neighboring Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. The DOGE slashes to budgets are threatening these small, pristine, peaceful places to share with each other and, importantly, our children and grandchildren. Contact your local, regional, and Congressional and Senate reps! Businesses, nonprofits speak up too. Now is the time to stand up and be counted.