Save The Wetlands

Wetland habitats are among the rarest and threatened on the planet. They house some unique and endangered species that are vital to human life. Around half the world’s inland wetlands have been lost over the last century. Many of our native wetland species also feature on the IUCN red list, which have declined in numbers by as much as 95% decline in the last 25 years. The causes of this decline range from drainage and pollution to invasive species and the overharvesting of wetland resources. Many of these threats have been faced by wetlands for centuries, but due to the ever-increasing human population and its consumption patterns they are greater now than ever before. The biggest threat is the human perception of wetlands. Wetlands have long been misunderstood and undervalued by people, leading to a desire to replace them with more ‘useful’ and ‘productive’ options such as housing developments and agricultural land People use wetlands in a number of ways including fishing, farming, transport, tourism, recreation and sport.Reeds from marshes are used by many communities to make boats and houses or for thatching. Peat bogs are used for garden soil and also provide a source of fuel. River systems and canals have been used for centuries to transport goods and people from place to place and in many countries river transport is still the principal means of getting around. Many people rely on rivers and lakes for their water supply - most of the world’s usable freshwater is stored in wetlands which clean and filter water as well as protecting against the worst effects of floods.The energy from flowing water can also be used as an environmentally friendly way of producing electricity . To counter the threats to the wetlands we need to demonstrate the values that the wetlands provide to us. Whatever their size or wherever they occur they are really important us as we need water to survive and have built communities around wetlands for thousands of years.