Wetlands in Danger
Over half of the world's wetlands have been destroyed in the last 100 years. People drained them to build houses, roads, and shopping centers. Farmers drained them to create farmland. Some were filled in with dirt and paved over.
In the United States alone, over 50% of original wetlands have been lost. Some states, like California and Ohio, have lost over 90% of their wetlands! This is a huge problem because once a wetland is destroyed, all the services it provided disappear too.
Pollution also threatens wetlands. Fertilizer runoff from farms can cause algae to grow out of control in wetland waters, using up all the oxygen and killing fish. Oil spills coat wetland plants and animals. Trash and plastic waste pollute the water.
Climate change is another threat. Rising sea levels can drown coastal wetlands. Changes in rainfall patterns can dry out inland wetlands. As temperatures rise, some wetland species cannot adapt fast enough.
Invasive species — plants and animals brought from other places — can take over wetlands. For example, purple loosestrife (a non-native plant) can crowd out native cattails and other wetland plants, reducing habitat for native animals.
**Important:** When we lose a wetland, we lose its flood protection, water filtering, animal habitat, and carbon storage. These services would cost billions of dollars to replace with human-made alternatives.