Preserving and protecting wetlands is important. Although wetland losses have decreased, the nation continues to lose about 54,000 acres per year. More than half of the original wetlands in the lower 48 states have been drained and converted for other uses. Wetland is a word used for marshes, swamps, bogs, and similar areas where water covers the soil part, if not all, of the year. Wetlands are found generally in flat vegetated areas, in depressions in the landscape, and between dry land and water along the edges of streams, rivers, lakes, and coastlines.
Wetlands often support plants and aquatic animals.
This Earth Week 2000, create a backyard wetland to replace the important natural functions of wetlands that may have been lost when your community was developed. It will also temporarily store, filter, and clean runoff water from your roof and lawn. Select any level area for digging out a depression to make suitable for wetland plants. Using a hose or rope, lay out the shape of your wetland. An irregular shape will appear the most natural.