It
needs to be recogniczed that when human animals drain wetlands, develop
countryside, or destroy wilderness, they are ravenging land that
belongs to someone else. - Franklin A. Kalinowski
Wetland
on St. Olaf Natural Lands
Photo Courtesy of www.stolaf.edu
Importance of Wetlands
Flood Prevention
Lets look at a typical rainstorm in Rice County. During late
spring and early summer, it is not uncommon for over an inch of rain to
fall. With an abundance of wetlands in the area, the time it
takes for the water to accumulate into the streams and rivers is much
longer. It takes so much more time that much of the rainwater is
evaporated before it enters the river. With less amounts of water
entering the rivers, the probability of having a flood is greatly
reduced.
Erosion and
Sedimentation Control
As rainwater rushes over saturated land, tiny particles from the soil
are picked up and carried away. These soil particles called
sediment begin to accumulate in rivers and streams causing an increase
in flooding and initiate eutrophication. However, when wetlands
slow the speed of the water, the sediment falls to the bottom of the
wetland leaving sediment free water to pass through into the rivers.
Water
Purification
Ground
Water
After a rainstorm, wetlands act as catchment basins. If the wetland is
located above the water table and its underlying soil allows water
movement, water will gradually move from the wetland into the
underlying soil. If wetlands are drained, the water that would
normally enter the groundwater supply is likely to remain above ground
- leading to erosion, sedimentation and flooding of lakes and rivers.
Surface Water
Wetlands serve as highly effective surface water purification systems
by reducing the effects of sedimentation in rivers, lakes, and
estuaries.
When water full of sediment encounters masses of wetland plants, it
looses its energy and adds its sediments to the wetland soil. These
sediments may carry potentially harmful substances such as excess
nutrients that may lead to eutrophication, as well as pesticide
residues and heavy metals with the potential to bioaccumulate.
Microbes are
the real workhorses in this natural water purification
system. These tiny organisms have the ability to take many types
of toxins and break them down into harmless substances. These
systems are so effective that sewage treatment plants often utilize
them.
Habitat (most
important)
The
importance of wetlands to waterfowl cannot be
overemphasized. The plight of the prairie pothole region -
an area encompassing the Dakotas, Minnesota and much of Central Canada
provides a clear example. This area - sometimes termed "North America's
Duck Factory" - once produced about 15 million ducks per year, however,
with wetland losses amounting to about 2% each year, this estimate has
fallen to five-million (Robinson and Bolen, 1989).
Although we
may perceive potholes as rather insignificant and isolated
puddles, to waterfowl these areas represent food and shelter. Even a
wetland that is wet only a week or two out of the year may provide
prime nesting habitat, or serve as a much needed "stop-over" for
migrating waterfowl.
Hunting
– It’s
economic power
Hunters are good
for the economy. Not only do hunters
buy hunting gear, but they also fill their gas tanks and coolers. Sales and motor fuel taxes paid by Minnesota waterfowl
hunters was over $7.8 million dollars. They stay in
resorts and eat at many small
local restaurants. For many small
communities, their economic survivial relies on hunting.
Most significantly,
hunters pay for habitat (Mathevet). Without
habitat
on the ground, there won’t be any ducks or geese in the sky. Hunters pay special excise taxes.
The Wildlife Restoration Fund under the
Pittman-Robertson legislation collects the excise taxes on certain
hunting
equipment and distributes the money to different state natural resource
agencies. According to the
International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, over $481
million
dollars was divided to the state agencies in 2002.
In addition,
Minnesota state income taxes paid by Minnesota waterfowl hunters
exceeded $2 million dollars and federal income taxes of $9.6
million. Hunters
may be the most important source of
conservation funding.
Nedcv
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