Three types of wetlands that make our world better
Three types of wetlands that make our world better
- Fri, Jan 9 2026 at 10:24 AM
Mark,
In the late 1700s, wetlands covered approximately 221 million acres across the Lower 48. By the 1990s, fewer than half remained. For most of U.S. history, these vibrant ecosystems were written off as wastelands -- the were drained, paved over, and used as dumps.1
Though we now understand that wetlands play a huge role in maintaining healthy environments, these habitats remain threatened. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently proposed lifting protections on 55 million acres of wetlands across the country.2
Meet three of the unique wetland ecosystems we're working to preserve.
Mangrove swamps are defined by one species -- the mangrove tree. Unlike most trees, mangroves thrive in the salty tidal waters and are especially prevalent around estuaries where rivers empty into the Gulf Coast, from Texas to Florida. Watch for their tangled, stilt-like "prop roots" that provide the trees added stability against the tug of tides and flow of rivers.
Because of their location along coastlines, mangrove swamps often are the first line of defense against storm surges, protecting nearby communities from flooding and erosion.3
Submerged mangrove roots make excellent nurseries for fish and sea turtles. The shallow mudflats and rich waters provide abundant food for shorebirds like plovers and wading birds including spoonbills and bitterns. Even Florida panthers take shelter in the Everglades' dense mangrove thickets.4
Winters in the Upper Midwest may be cold, but they're nothing compared to the ice age, when glaciers a mile thick covered the region. As they retreated, these massive glaciers carved pockets in the landscape that would become prairie potholes.5
Some of these freshwater marshes are seasonal and others are filled with water year-round. All types are beloved by birds. More than 200 species of birds take solace in prairie potholes during migration, and more than half of the country's ducks breed in them.
Prairie potholes also benefit the communities that surround them by filtering runoff and storing floodwater. More than half of the prairie potholes present prior to European settlement have been drained for agricultural development.6
Fens are some of the most ancient wetlands on Earth. They develop over thousands of years as dead plant matter accumulates without fully decomposing, forming a rich spongy substance known as peat. Walk across a fen and you may notice the soft land quaking as the ground water deep below shifts.
Endemic to cooler climates across the northern hemisphere, fens flourish from the mountains of northern California, to the prairies of Michigan up through the North American boreal forest.7
Fens are especially vital habitats, supporting plants and animals that can be found nowhere else. Rare orchids, pitcher plants and mosses sprout from the moist peaty soil. The fens of Wyoming are used by nesting Sandhill cranes each summer, and young woodland caribou learn to walk on the spongy ground of fens in the boreal.8, 9, 10
Because they take so long to form, fens are incredibly difficult to restore once they've been damaged.
The world as we know it wouldn't exist without wetlands.
Though they only cover approximately 6% of the Earth's surface, wetlands support 40% of all plants and animals. They protect our communities from flooding and erosion, store huge amounts of atmospheric carbon and purify the water enjoyed by millions of Americans.11
As the EPA considers removing protections for 85% of the county's wetlands, it's more critical than ever that Americans recognize the importance of these ecosystems, for wildlife and for ourselves.12
Thank you,
The Environmental Action team
P.S. Wetlands across the U.S. are under threat. Support efforts to defend these special places with a donation today.
1. "Why are Wetlands Important?," National Park Service, last accessed December 2, 2025.
2. Maxine Joselow, "E.P.A. Rule Would Drastically Curb Protections for Wetlands," The New York Times, November 17, 2025.
3. "Mangrove Swamps," U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, February 5, 2025.
4. "Mangrove Life," Florida Museum, last accessed December 17, 2025.
5. "Wetland Prairies," Iowa PBS, December 18, 2025.
6. David Kringen, "Prairie Pothole Wetlands: Small Basins, Big Impact," South Dakota State Extension, August 28, 2025.
7. "What is a fen?," U.S. Forest Service, last accessed December 18, 2025.
8. Deb Le Blanc, "Protecting Round-leaved Orchis (Amerorchis rotundifolia) on the Hiawatha National Forest," U.S. Forest Service, last accessed December 18, 2025.
9. "Diversity of Vascular Plants in California Fens," U.S. Forest Service, last accessed December 18, 2025.
10. "Amended Recovery Strategy for the Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), Boreal population, in Canada [Proposed] 2019," Government of Canada, November 27, 2025.
11. "Wetlands for our common future," United Nations, last accessed December 18, 2025.
12. Maxine Joselow, "E.P.A. Rule Would Drastically Curb Protections for Wetlands," The New York Times, November 17, 2025.
Comments
Post a Comment