by Jonathan Miller, Riparian Habitat Restoration Intern
World Wetlands Day (February 2nd) is once again upon us! Wetlands, which include marshes, swamps, fens, bogs, and even lakes, provide a wide variety of essential ecosystem services and functions critical to the planet’s well-being. Wetlands most notably improve water quality by filtering excess nutrients or toxins from agriculture, roads, and sewage runoff. Equally remarkable, wetlands act as carbon sinks, storing carbon captured from the atmosphere. Wetlands actively store up to 35% of the planet’s terrestrial carbon, making their protection vital to combating climate change and ensuring a stable global climate. Wetlands also act as a natural defence against floods and drought, provide spawning grounds for many fish species, and offer great nesting, resting, and foraging places for birds and other animals.
Canada is home to over 25% of the world’s wetlands. Sadly, much of our wetlands are being lost to human development, creating a need for enhanced conservation efforts to protect them. Fortunately, there are many ways individuals and communities can get involved in their protection!
To celebrate World Wetlands Day on February 2nd, Watersheds Canada has four free resources you can use to learn about the importance of wetlands and what you can do to protect them. These resources provide valuable information to share with your family, neighbours, local waterfront associations, or school clubs. They also outline practical steps you can take on your property to help protect the freshwater areas vital to our communities.
- Download and read the “Shoreline Habitat Creation Manual”
This manual is intended for landowners wanting to ecologically enhance their property and create essential habitats for fish and wildlife species. It shows how landowners can protect and implement natural shoreline habitats in their watershed.
- Watch our video on why we need to protect our wetlands
There are over 1.29 million square kilometers of wetlands in Canada. Wetlands provide habitat for hundreds of microbes, plants, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish, and mammals. As Canadians, we bear a responsibility to help protect these ecosystems and the species they contain. This video was developed to spread awareness of the role of these vital ecosystems.
- Share our “Resilient Shorelands” infographic
Did you know a shoreland is made up of many different zones? Learn more about what a shoreland is, who lives there, and how a natural shoreland is most resilient to impacts from climate change in this infographic.
- Watch our new video lesson “How Can We Care For Our Lake?”
Waterfront development has on-land impacts while also influencing our freshwater resources. How humans manage different factors like stormwater runoff and natural buffers has impacts on wildlife communities, the local environment, and humans. Learn more about how to be a good neighbour in this new video from Watersheds Canada!
However you choose to celebrate World Wetlands Day, your contribution is appreciated. Your dedication will help to ensure these areas are healthy and protected for humans and wildlife to enjoy now and in the future! You can ensure the long-term health of Canada’s wetlands by making a donation to Watersheds Canada which supports grassroots-led, shovels-in-the-ground restoration work to benefit our lakes, rivers, and shorelines.
References
Ducks Unlimited Canada. (2007). Dedicated to Wetland and Wildlife Conservation. Internet: https://www.ducks.ca/our-work/wetlands/
Government of Canada. (2016). Extent of Canada’s Wetlands. Internet: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-indicators/extent-wetlands.html
Zhang, Z., Jiang, W., Peng, K., Wu, Z., Ling, Z., & Li, Z. (2023). Assessment of the impact of wetland changes on carbon storage in coastal urban agglomerations from 1990 to 2035 in support of SDG15.1. The Science of the Total Environment, 877, 162824–162824. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162824