FALL 1998
At first glance, most wetlands look like wasted land: boggy swamps with slow moving or brackish water, a whole lot of grass, and mosquitoes. Who really cares if they get filled in to put up a mall or housing development? But look again. Those buzzing insects are food for a multitude of reptiles and amphibians. Moose, deer, and bats all forage in wetlands, while ducks nest and raise their young amongst the protective marsh grasses. And a wide variety of plants, such as the pitcher plant, sundew, and bullrushes and cattails, are found exclusively in wetlands. Wetland plants also play an important role in the health of the environment, by absorbing and breaking down contaminants, and by regulating water supply during floods and droughts. Finally, wetlands have great recreational opportunities for canoeists, birdwatchers, and many others. Suddenly, that useless land is starting to look more and more valuable!
Technically, a wetland is defined as any area of land that is under water for all or part of the year and supports biological activity adapted to a wet environment. Nova Scotia has about 600000 acres (242816.7 ha) of freshwater and saltwater wetlands, that cover more than 15 per cent of the province. But that huge acreage doesn't adequately convey the amazing degree of variation between the different types of wetlands and their value to the environment and society.
Randy Milton is Manager of Wetlands and Coastal Habitat with DNR's Wildlife Division in Kentville. He says that for a long time, wetlands were unjustly considered places to be drained and filled in before being turned into something more productive. "There really is a need for continuing education on the value of wetlands, and their importance in terms of ensuring biodiversity and ecosystem function".
Milton says that over 50 per cent of Nova Scotia's saltwater wetlands, as well as many freshwater wetlands, have already been lost. The good news is that some people have started to take positive steps toward saving what's left. One initiative is the Wetlands Private Stewardship Program, which is aiming to secure 82000 acres (33184.9 ha) of freshwater and saltwater habitat in this province over 15 years. Agreements with landowners can range from a simple verbal commitment to conserve the wetland to a more formal management plan in partnership with others such as DNR or Ducks Unlimited Canada.
Individuals and communities are increasingly recognizing the potential of wetlands to improve their environment. About three years ago, the community of River Hebert started an interesting experiment to test if wetlands could help treat the wastewater from their sewage treatment facility. The problem was that the wastewater still contained nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen, as well as some harmful bacteria. They decided to partner with the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture in building a dual purpose wetland to clean the wastewater and to improve wildlife habitat. Filtering the effluent through the wetland means that it is treated through natural chemical and bacterial processes and thus no longer poses any risk when it enters the river. At the same time, the rich nutrients in the wastewater have acted like fertilizer for the marsh's vegetation. The vigorous growth of cattails, grasses, and other wetland plants has increased the food supply for the various snails and insects that feed on them. Their increased numbers has meant more food for fish and waterfowl. The area has now become a tourist attraction, and is used by the local school to raise environmental awareness among its students.
Success stories such as these are a sign of the growing realization that wetlands are an important part of our environment. They provide valuable wildlife habitat, help clean and regulate water levels, and offer some great, often overlooked, recreational opportunities. And on a hot summer night in a marsh, you can hear for yourself the vitality of life in wetlands: insects peep and buzz excitedly, birds call back and forth, frogs belch their "ribbets" into the air, and occasionally a fish leaps from the water to catch a bug. For nature, wetlands are truly paradise.
Freshwater wetlands include:
- Bogs, which are areas of peat formed from sphagnum moss that receive all their nutrients from rainfall and the air.
- Fens are also peatlands, but are formed from sedges and grasses that receive their nutrients from streams flowing through them.
- Marshes are broken into two groups: deep marsh, where the water level is up to three feet deep, and shallow marsh, which can be almost dry in summer.
- Seasonally flooded flats are areas where rivers overflow their banks at a certain time of year, such as the floodplains along the Mersey and Salmon Rivers.
- Meadows are often found in the upper reaches of a watershed, and drain into the seasonally flooded flats.
- Vernal pools are areas where pools of water develop in spring, such as in the woods at Blomidon. The water may be quite high at times, then completely disappear at others interestingly, some plants are specially adapted to vernal pools, and are able to survive during these periodic dry periods until the water develops again.
- Lakeshore wetlands are protected backwaters along lake shorelines.
- Intertidal flats are areas of exposed mud like at the top of the Bay of Fundy, and contain an important source of food for wildlife.
- Saltmarshes are broken into two groups: low saltmarsh, which is flooded on all tides, and high saltmarsh, which is only flooded during large tides.
- Saline ponds are made up of water trapped behind a barrier beach, but with large waves that still sometimes break over thus mixing salt water with fresh water.
- Subtidal flats are coastal areas that are always covered by water, where eelgrass and other vegetation often grows plentifully.