America's Wetlands America's Wetlands W etlands are indeed the vital link between water and land. Wetlands can be found in nearly every county and climatic zone in the United States. Most likely, a wetland exists in your neighborhood or very close to it. Because they are so varied, wetlands can be difficult to recognize. Our ideas of what a wetland should look like may not include all types of wetlands.
Some wetlands are large and some are very small.
Many have been altered by human activities such as farming, ranching, and the building of roads, dams, and towns. People thought of wetlands as places to avoid or, better yet, eliminate. As people understand ecological processes better, attitudes towards wetlands change. We now know that wetlands are, in fact, valuable natural resources. Whether drier or wetter, bigger or smaller, wetlands provide important benefits to people and the environment.