The benefits of wetlands are numerous. Wetlands provide a habitat for plants and animals, many of which are threatened or endangered species, and serve as a breeding ground for fish and waterfowl. Wetlands can be vital to a local economy, producing valuable resources such as fish, fruits and berries, shellfish, timber, and waterfowl. They are recreation areas used for hunting, fishing, canoeing, hiking, and bird-watching. Some wetlands, particularly those on floodplains and in coastal areas, act as natural sponges, preventing floods by absorbing excess rainfall.
Wetlands help prevent erosion of soil protecting crops and agricultural areas.
Wetlands can also act as a natural water purifier, filtering out pollution and sediment as water soaks into the ground to replenish groundwater supplies, lakes, and rivers. Losing or degrading wetlands can lead to serious consequences, such as increased flooding, extinction of species, and decline in water quality. Over the past 200 years, more than half the original wetlands in the continental United States have been lost. Today, wetlands are disappearing at an alarming rate of 300,000 acres per year. Never pour toxic materials down the drain, in the street, or on the soil.