1. ESTUARIES Where a freshwater stream meets the sea & the water level changes with the tides Also includes where a river or stream meets a large body of water Example: Old Woman Creek Estuary

2. WETLANDS Areas that range from permanently flooded to periodically saturated soil Support water-loving plants

3. Types of Wetlands Marshes Swamps Mangrove forests Salt marshes

4. Importance of Wetlands Recharge groundwater Reduce flooding & flood damage Filter water - purify water Provide habitat & breeding grounds Provide recreation Source of peat & timber Biodiversity

5. Wetland loss More that 50% of wetlands in the continental US have been drained 70% lost in Great Lakes Basin More than 80% lost in Ohio

6. Why Wetland Loss? Public perception – swamps or wastelands Economic incentives to develop land Urban sprawl

7. Causes of Wetland Loss & Degradation Biological Alteration Remove wetland or riparian vegetation – change to farmland Introduce non-native (exotic) species

8. Causes of Wetland Loss & Degradation Chemical Alteration Pollutants & toxic chemicals released – landfills, storage tanks, etc. Agricultural runoff – pesticides, fertilizers, manure

9. Causes of Wetland Loss & Degradation Physical destruction Filling and draining wetlands Dredging wetlands & stream channelization (straightening) Constructing dams & reservoirs Peat mining ATV recreational use

10. Wetlands & Flooding When we try to control flooding we destroy wetlands.

11. The Solution EDUCATION IS ESSENTIAL