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BY LEO SNEAD
Rappahannock News Contributing Writer
Despite federal programs to protect them, wetlands are being lost at an alarming rate in Virginia. Tens of thousands of acres of this resource so vital to the survival of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem have already disappeared from the state’s landscape forever. And the loss continues at an average rate of over 3,000 acres per year.
Opinion
This should concern everyone, because wetlands are a vital component of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.
Wetlands are just that, wet land supporting a diversity of plants and animals. Some common wetland areas include marshes, wet meadows, bog and swamps. Scientists use three characteristics to define wetlands: the presence of water, the presence of wetland plants and the presence of the appropriate type of soil necessary to support wetland plants.
Wetlands, both those influenced by tides and non-tidal, are recognized as some of the most ecologically productive areas on earth, serving many important functions:
• Water Quality — Wetlands act as filters, removing nutrients, metals, toxics and sediments from the water.
• Fish and Wildlife Habitat — Hundreds of species of birds, mammals, fish and plants depend on wetlands for nesting areas, food, cover and habitat.
• Shoreline Erosion Control — Wetlands decrease the rate of erosion by anchoring the shore with their roots, slowing water velocities and promoting sedimentation.
• Flood Control — Wetlands aid in flood control by storing flood waters, decreasing the speed of flow and reducing peak flood flows.
• Ground Water Discharge/Recharge — Wetlands often occur in places where ground water surfaces and in some cases maintain stream flows during the year. Additionally, some wetlands store water that eventually feeds ground water supplies.
• Recreation — Wetlands are important recreational areas, widely used for hunting, fishing, canoeing and birdwatching.
Wetlands are threatened by draining, filling and clearing for agricultural activities, urban development, improper forest harvesting, timber road construction and the creation of ponds and lakes. More than 62 percent of the losses in Virginia were caused by conversion to agricultural lands and channelization associated with agricultural activities.
Although these activities were once encouraged by the federal farm program, the “Swampbuster” provision of the 1985 Federal Farm Bill now discourages wetlands conversions. These efforts, along with the proposed state protection program, should help to minimize wetlands
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