The Problem
Wetlands are found in nearly every county and climate in the United States. Many valuable natural resources come from wetlands. Resources like improvement of water quality, reduction of flood and storm damages, providing of important fish and wildlife, and shoreline erosion control. Wetlands are vital to the survival of threatned and endangered species like the wood stork, the Florida panther, and the whooping crane. they are also just primary habitats for other animals. Wetlands help in many ways but there is one problem: wetlands are being destroyed. Already more then half of Americas original wetlands have been destroyed. This could mean that the animals that live in the wetlands could all become extinct. Another problem that could also occur is that there could be alot more storm and flood damages. As you see wetlands are vital to our enviorment.
The Causes of This Problem
Even though wetlands help in many ways many people don't see it that way. Some people see wetlands as wastelands instead. They think of wetlands as places to aviod, or better yet, eliminate. Some of the reasons are becauses they are seen as sources of mosquioes, flies, unpleasant odors,and diseases. Another reason thay are being destroyed is that they are being drained and converted to farmlands or being used to dispose of household and industrial waste.
Even though many wetlands have already been destroyed there is still alot everyone can do to stop the destruction of the remaining wetlands. One of the best things that could be done is to educate the public so that they understand the value of wetlands. Alot of the help that helps the wetlands comes from laws and regulations of the goverment. So the public needs to encourage the goverment to emphasize laws and regulation like wild rice production, hunting and trapping leases, and selective timber harvest. Another help to the solution is to select upland instead of wetland sites for development projects. We can also support wetlands by buying federal duck stamps from your local post office. We all need to support these regulations and organizations because wetlands are vital to animals, people, and mostly the enviorment.
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