Wetlands Wetlands go by many names including swamps, marshes, and coastal estuaries. A swamp is a wetland which is flooded most of the year and is dominated by trees and shrubs. A marsh is a continually inundated wetland dominated by reeds, rushes, grasses, and sedges.
Coastal estuaries are intertidal wetlands dominated by grasses, sedges, and shrubs or trees.
These names are covered by the following definition introduced by the Fish and Wildlife service in 1979. Wetlands are areas of transitional land between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water. Within a wetland habitat you will find different types of wetland ecosystems. Each of these habitats is unique and provide a safe haven, from predators, for many species of animals, insects, and marine life. Our perceptions of wetlands and their best use value has changed over the last 30 years.