It has also become a haven for wintering Bald Eagles. Scientists and engineers from around the world are studying this working model of wastewater recycling and wetland restoration. The decrease of the original wetlands is due in part to man's activities. Most of the remaining wetlands are located in the southern United States. Ohio along with six other states have lost at least eighty percent of their original wetlands.
Wetlands serve diverse purposes and help to support and maintain many species of organisms.
These unique ecosystems serve as water filters by trapping pollutants and as water retainers, holding water back to prevent flooding. Certain plants indicate that a wetland is present. For example cattails, sedges, rushes, and water plankton grow in these areas. There are approximately five-thousand different species of plants that have been found to reside in wetland areas. In constructing artificial wetlands, scientists first designate an are for transformation.