Why Wetlands are so Important

NOAA – Wetlands—including marshes, mangroves, swamps, and floodplains—provide valuable benefits. They serve as habitat for the fish we eat, protect coastal communities from storms, and help filter pollution out of our water.

But these important areas are at risk of disappearing due to erosion, land subsidence, and development. Since the 1930s, Louisiana alone has lost more than 2,000 square miles of wetlands—an area the size of Delaware. 

NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation works with partners to protect and restore these habitats, so they can provide economic and ecological benefits that fisheries and communities depend on.

1. Wetlands Support Sustainable Seafood

If you love seafood, thank a coastal wetland for your favorite dish! Many kinds of fish and shellfish—from salmon and striped bass, to lobster, shrimp, oysters, and crabs—spend all or part of their lives in wetlands. Coastal wetlands are crucial for healthy estuaries, which generate nearly 70 percent of the United States’ commercial fish catch and 80 percent of recreational catch.

2. Wetlands Boost the Economy

By providing habitat for valuable commercial and recreational fish species, coastal wetlands support jobs, industries, and economic activity across the United States. Wetland habitats are also beautiful landscapes, where tourists and residents can enjoy canoeing and kayaking, birdwatching, hiking, and taking photographs. Tourism and recreation in coastal areas—including wetlands—contribute approximately $143 billion to the national economy each year.

3. Wetlands Provide Homes for Many Different Species

Wetlands are some of the most productive ecosystems on Earth, supporting countless species of animals and plants. Fish like salmon, trout, steelhead, striped bass, flounder, and many more rely on wetlands as safe places for juveniles to feed and grow. Nearly half of the United States’ threatened and endangered species use wetlands at some point in their lives. Lost and degraded habitat is one of the largest obstacles facing their recovery. Protecting and restoring healthy wetlands helps ensure these habitats are available for the species that depend on them.

4. Wetlands Protect Communities from Storms

Coastal wetlands act as giant sponges, absorbing floods and wave energy from storms. One acre of wetlands can soak up as much as 1.5 million gallons of floodwater—enough to cover a football field in more than 4 feet of water.

Wetlands save coastal communities $23 billion annually by protecting them from the effects of storms. On the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, where hurricanes are frequent, each square mile of wetlands saves almost $700,000 in storm damage on average each year.

5. Wetlands Keep Our Water Clean

Wetlands are sometimes called “nature’s kidneys,” because they filter harmful pollution out of the water. When rain falls on hard surfaces—like concrete, asphalt, and rooftops—it picks up nutrients, chemicals, and sediment and washes them into local waterways. As the runoff flows downstream, wetlands trap and filter these pollutants, helping maintain healthy rivers, bays, and beaches. 

Partnering to Conserve Wetlands

In our work to protect and restore wetlands, NOAA relies on strong partnerships. We collaborate with tribes, local and state governments, other federal agencies, nonprofits, and other organizations. We provide funding and technical assistance, which our partners use to leverage additional funding and on-the-ground support.

About the Author

Wayne Creed

Administrator

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