Natural wetlands are important to people and the environment.
In fact, the biological productivity of wetlands is among the highest of all natural ecosystems. Over half of the wetlands in the U.S. were destroyed between the 1600's and the 1980's. Many of the nation's remaining 100 million acres have been damaged or degraded by human activity. Implementation of this policy depends on the actions of politicians and citizens alike. As individuals and as communities, we need to maintain the integrity of individual wetlands and of entire watersheds through preservation, proactive management, and restoration.