A world away from rice paddies are the reedbeds of the northern hemisphere, which filter and purify water as it flows through them. Fish and waterfowl breeding or nesting among the reeds provide valuable protein, while the reeds themselves are utilized fo r roofing, and create livelihoods for mat weavers and basket makers. As well as acting as life-saving natural breakwaters, tropical mangroves serve human communities in an abundance of other important ways. They yield fuelwood for cooking, thatch for roofing, fibres for textiles and paper making, and timber for building. Medicines are extracted from their bark, leaves, and fruits, and they also provide tannins and dyes, used extensively in the treatment of leather.
Wetlands also play an important role in the survival of birds.