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

Bringing Back Our Wetlands — page 4

Bringing Back Our Wetlands — page 5 — swamps which have trees and other plants that grow in water with higher salinity than freshwater Nontidal wetlands are found inland They have freshwater and are not affected by tides In the United States 94 percent of all wetlands are nontidal They can be found along streams and rivers near ponds and lakeshores or even in isolated low lying areas There is a wide variety of inland wetlands including marshes swamps pocosins playas prairie potholes vernal pools bogs and fens LLANOS DE MOXOS WETLANDS The Llanos de Moxos wetland in Bolivia is one of the world's largest wetlands and it is also vital to the health of the Amazon Rainforest The wetland covers more than 17 million acres 6 9 million ha of tropical savannas that experience cycles of flood and drought The Moxos wetland includes 1 000 identified plant species 625 species of fish 102 reptiles 568 birds and 131 different species of mammals Some of these are threatened species such as the Bolivian river dolphin and the blue throated macaw In 2013 the Ramsar Convention identified the wetland as a Wetland of International Importance IMPORTANCE OF WETLANDS All wetlands no matter their location or size support a wide variety of life They are often compared to rain forests and coral reefs as they provide habitats food sources and shelter for many species of birds fish mammals reptiles amphibians insects microorganisms and plants More specifically wetlands can provide food and shelter for mammals such as bears raccoons beavers deer moose and elk They provide refuge for migratory birds such as

Bringing Back Our Wetlands — page 6 — sandhill cranes ducks and mallards that winter in the marshes of the southern United States As in coral reefs many of the species found in wetlands are endangered or threatened In fact one third of endangered or threatened plants and animals in the United States depend on wetlands That includes American crocodiles whooping cranes and several species of orchids Because endangered animals often live in wetlands some wetlands have become critical habitats This means they are necessary to the survival of an endangered species Vernal pools are low areas of land that have shallow water during winter and spring Wetlands not only provide critical habitat for plants and animals but also filter and clean water When water moves into a wetland it often carries sediment and pollutants The wetland acts as a natural filter improving water quality by filtering out sediments and absorbing many pollutants before the water moves downstream or seeps into the ground Wetlands also store water They act like sponges collecting and holding on to water Much of the water seeps into the ground to recharge groundwater supplies In the Everglades in Florida for example the wetlands

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