Far from being useless, disease-ridden places, wetlands provide value that no other ecosystem can. Wetlands help improve water quality, provide flood protection and shoreline erosion control, and create opportunities for recreation and aesthetic appreciation. Protecting wetlands can protect our safety and welfare.
Forty percent of Michigan’s wetlands have been destroyed, from being drained or filled in, since the late 1800s. We now recognize the critical services these ecosystems provide for humans and wildlife. As a result, wetlands are currently protected by law and many wetlands are being restored and created. For example, we have mitigated and restored 53 acres of wetland at Paw Paw Park for the benefit of the Holland community.
Wetland provide many services to our communities, including:
Flood protection– Each year as spring floods surge through the Grand, Pigeon, and Macatawa Rivers. The wetlands along their riverbanks act like sponges to absorb the access water. As the river recedes, the wetland slowly releases the floodwater.
Improve water quality– Across our landscapes, we have pesticides, excess nutrients, bacteria, sediment, and other forms of pollution. As water runs off our landscapes, wetlands purify the water like a natural water filtration system.
Shoreline erosion control– The deep-rooted native plants within wetlands anchor shorelines to prevent erosion that can threaten water quality and infrastructure.
Recreation– Wetlands are the habitat to countless wildlife species. As a result, they provide recreational areas for fishing, bird watching, photography, and hiking.
A more complete list of the important services wetlands provide can be found at the websites below:
- https://www.nps.gov/subjects/wetlands/why.htm
- https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/why-are-wetlands-important
Insect Apocalypse
Around the world, scientists are alarmed at the significant decline in insects, both in number and type. Pesticides, particularly insecticides, are one of the leading causes of these declines. Monarch butterflies and bees are well known as beneficial insects. However, there are many other insects in decline that provide direct or indirect benefits to humans, including moths.
“Not only do bees, butterflies, and other insects pollinate one-third of all food crops, declining insect numbers can also have catastrophic ecological repercussions. Renowned Harvard entomologist E.O. Wilson has said that without insects the rest of life, including humanity, “would mostly disappear from the land. And within a few months.”
Protecting healthy, diverse wetland communities, including the insects, will help with the overall health of humans.
For more information on the importance of biodiversity to human health, visit the World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/globalchange/ecosystems/biodiversity/en/
More information about the insect apocalypse: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/02/insect-apocalypse-really-upon-us/583018/