fish, wildlife and plant habitats

• source of substantial biodiversity
• produce great quantities of food
• development of organisms that form the base of the food web
• birds and mammals rely on wetlands for food, water, and shelter, especially while migrating and breeding
• breeding and egg deposition areas (fish, amphibians and reptiles)
• estuaries and their coastal marshes serve as important fish nursery areas
• some wetlands release cooler water to salmon-bearing streams and rivers
• 43% of the federally threatened and endangered species rely directly or indirectly on wetlands for their survival

natural water quality improvement and biogeochemical cycling

• wetlands provide the conditions needed for the removal of both nitrogen and phosphorus from surface water
• improve water/drinking water quality by
  • intercepting surface runoff
  • removing or retaining inorganic nutrients
  • processing organic wastes
  • reducing suspended sediments
• wetlands also reduce environmental problems such as algal blooms, dead zones, and fish kills, that are generally associated with excess nutrients.

atmospheric maintenance

• wetlands world-wide help moderate global climatic conditions
• store carbon within their live and preserved (peat) plant biomass instead of releasing it to the atmosphere as a greenhouse gas

hydrologic cycle roles

• receive, store, and release water in numerous ways
• some wetlands maintain stream flow during dry periods
• some wetlands replenish groundwater

flood storage

• store and slowly release surface water, rain, snowmelt, groundwater and flood waters
• wetland vegetation also impedes the movement of flood waters and distributes them more slowly over floodplains
• counteract the greatly increased rate and volume of surface-water runoff from pavement and buildings

shoreline erosion protection

• protect shorelines and stream banks against erosion
• hold the soil in place with their roots
• absorb the energy of waves
• break up the flow of stream or river currents

opportunities for recreation, education, research and aesthetic appreciation

• used to hunt, fish, birdwatch or photograph wildlife
• nature-based tourism involves birds, many of which are wetland-dependent
• used for hiking, boating, and other recreational activities
• studied in conjunction with environmental programs
• excellent research and teaching sites to learn about vegetation, ecological functions and processes, biodiversity, and plant-animal interactions
• artists and writers capture the beauty of wetlands on canvas and paper, or through cameras, and video and sound recorders

economic benefits of natural services and products at little or no cost

• wetlands filtering function saves us a great deal of money
• wetlands supporting timber totals about 55 million acres
• blueberries, cranberries, mints, and wild rice, are produced in wetlands
• medicines from wetland soils and plants
• fishing and shellfishing industries harvest wetland-dependent species
• habitats for commercial fur-bearers like muskrat, beaver, otter, and mink, as well as reptiles such as alligators
• 3 million migratory bird hunters generated $1.3 billion in retail sales

reduce flood damage and protect our health and safety

• reduce the likelihood of flood damage to homes, businesses, and crops in agricultural areas
• lower flood heights and reduce erosion downstream and on adjacent lands
• reduce or prevent waterlogging of agricultural lands
• less monetary flood damage (and related insurance costs), as well as greater protection of human health, safety, and welfare.