Bringing Back Our Wetlands

Bringing Back Our Wetlands — page 3
sitting at the intersection of two streams the East Gallatin River and Bozeman Creek had been an important habitat for many fish birds and other animals The alterations however harmed the wetland ecosystem The mill was abandoned in the mid 1900s By the 2000s plans for urban development were under way at the site When the planning stopped for financial reasons conservationists saw an opportunity they wanted to restore the area to its original state as a wetland MAN MADE WETLANDS Not all wetlands are made by nature As people have come to understand the value of these highly productive ecosystems some have constructed their own to serve the needs of humans Some man made wetlands are used to raise shrimp and fish or grow rice Other wetlands have been constructed to store and clean water Still others are created to improve flood control or even to treat sewage Other wetlands are specifically constructed near schools or in communities to educate children of their importance and provide places for recreation In 2012 the Trust for Public Land organization acquired the property with plans to create a community park Private public and nonprofit organizations came together to put a plan into action to restore the rivers and wetlands The restoration began in the fall of 2014 The collaborative effort included excavating the river floodplain restoring streambeds and banks removing debris and doubling the size of the original wetland Due to its location in a wildlife corridor between two mountain ranges the restored wetland will once again provide an important habitat for wildlife Beavers otters mink fish and birds will all benefit In addition the wetland will improve water quality downstream and reduce flooding