American Wetland Month

American Wetlands Month occurs during the month of May. The month celebrates the importance of wetlands to the Nations ecological, economic, and social health. During the month the goal of educating individuals on the value of the natural resource known as wetlands. In addition, the month helps to inspire individuals to work throughout the year to protect, preserve and expand wetlands.

Wetlands cover  wide definition of land types. Bogs, marshes, estuaries, coral reefs lagoons, swamps, prairie potholes, lakes, mudflats, ponds , deltas, lagoons, floodplains and more are covered under the wetland category. Wetlands are the hero's behind the world ecosystems. Without wetlands the world's environmental ecological and socioeconomic systems.

Wetlands provide significant benefits for fish, wildlife and all society. From protecting and improving water quality, providing fish and wildlife habitat, floodwater storage, coastal protection and increased water storage and supply.

For an area of land to be labeled as a wetland it must:

• must be an area where water accumulates on the landscape. It matter not whether it be in an upland depression or in low lying area next to streams, lakes or oceans 
• The area must have soil that stays saturated for extended period of time each year. This helps as wetlands must support plants which grow in wet or moist conditions

Legislators recognize the importance of the wetlands to our ecosystem and have created protective acts for them. In 1986 the Swamp Buster Act that stops the destruction of wetlands unless a wetland of the same size is created. However, most historic wetlands in North America have sadly been destroyed and constructed wetlands are striving to replace the wetlands.

Wetlands that are built need to have a proper hydrology, soil and plant life within them. Many of the wetlands that are natural are now being kept as well as possible. Whether it be newly constructed or historic wetlands they are very important to flood control, water quality, and wildlife habitat.