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Preble SWCD

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Phone: 937-456-5159

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Wetlands are some of the most beautiful places on earth, but also some of the most poorly understood and unappreciated features of our natural landscape. In the past, wetlands were associated with disease and pestilence, hotbeds for malaria and other frightening diseases. The sulfurous smell often experienced in wetlands generated from the decomposition of organic matter provided an incentive to destroy the source of the odor. We’ve come a long way in understanding the values of wetlands in recent years. We now realize that wetlands provide critical environmental benefits we all need and desire.

The “official” definition of wetlands varies depending on the agency or organization issuing the definition; however, three major attributes are normally included in the definition; hydric soils, wetland hydrology, and hydrophytic (water-loving) vegetation. According to the Ohio EPA, wetlands are “areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water often enough to support plants adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.” The three components - plants, hydrology, and soils - are all included in this definition of what comprises a wetland.

Just as the definition of the term ‘wetland’ varies, so does the type of wetland, and thus the name by which the wetland is referred. The wetland type depends on the three characteristics of wetlands outlined in the definition of a wetland. Five types of wetlands found in Ohio include marshes, swamps, vernal pools, bogs, and fens.

Marshes are a common type of wetland that usually has standing water. Soft-stemmed vegetation, such as the cattail, is a typical marsh plant. There are many sub-types of marshes, ranging from prairie potholes to the Everglades, from those along the coasts to marshes found inland, and from saltwater to freshwater.

Swamps are another category of wetland and are characterized by woody vegetation, such as the Cyprus swamps in the southern U.S. In northern climates, cedars and maples are typical swamp trees. Bushy vegetation, such as alders and buttonbush are also found in some swamps. These two types of woody vegetation, trees vs. shrubs, are what differentiate the two types of swamps - forested swamps or shrub swamps. The soils are usually saturated during the growing season and inundated during certain times of the year.

In Ohio forests, vernal pools are very important wetlands that are often overlooked or are unrecognized since they are seasonally wet, mostly in the spring, and disappear by late May or June. This type of wetland provides important breeding grounds for amphibians. The vegetation in these areas would include hydrophytic trees, such as green ash, red maple, silver maple, sycamore, etc.

A very distinctive and relatively rare form of wetland is the bog. Moss is the predominant type of vegetation in this wetland, which grows on top of water that comes primarily from precipitation. Nutrients needed for plant growth are very limited in bogs and the environment is acidic from peat moss. Plant and animals found in bogs are very unique as they have adapted to this harsh environment. Bogs are usually found in cooler climates such as the northern U.S. and Canada.

Fens are also a rare wetland type found in Ohio and are much like bogs, although less acidic. Groundwater and upland drainage are the major sources of water in a fen, which provides more nutrients. Fens also support a more diverse plant and animal community than bogs, with grasses, sedges, rushes, and wildflowers. These wetlands are also found primarily in cooler climates of the northern U.S. and Canada.

Ohio has a history of an adversarial relationship with wetlands. Much of northern Ohio was covered with wetlands before the arrival of settlers from the east coast. Most of these settlers relied on farming for sustenance and needed farmland to grow crops. Therefore, they sought to drain as much of the Great Black Swamp, as this area was called, to allow crop production on the rich soils. Intensive logging for the railroad industry was another factor that led to the disappearance of wetlands. In total, Ohio’s wetland area decreased about 90 percent between the 1780s to the 1980s, from about 5,000,000 acres to about 483,000 acres. (ODNR)

Today it is much more difficult to fill-in or drain wetlands than it was during the settlement of Ohio. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has jurisdiction over wetlands conversion through the Clean Water Act. Permits for disturbing or destroying wetlands must be obtained prior to any activity. In some cases, wetland alteration or destruction will not be allowed. Wetland mitigation, replacing wetlands destroyed through development with equivalent wetlands, is one strategy employed to ensure no net loss of wetlands. Crops cannot be grown on cropland converted from wetland after 1985 if the landowner wishes to participate in programs offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Owners of wetlands that converted the cropland to wetland after 1990 are also not eligible to participate in any programs offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture until the wetland functions are mitigated or restored.

From an ecological standpoint, wetlands are a critical component of many natural landscapes. Wildlife depends on wetland areas for food, shelter, and reproduction. Fish spawn in wetland areas, frogs lay eggs in the shallow wetland waters, and birds build nests in wetland shrubs and trees. Beavers frequently dam off wetland areas to create their dens, using the surrounding vegetation to build their shelters where their young will be born and protected.

From a water quality standpoint, wetlands have earned the title of “kidneys of the earth.” Water containing sediment, nitrogen, and pesticides is filtered either mechanically or chemically in a wetland system. Sediment carried by flowing water is able to settle out in a wetland, while nitrogen can escape into the atmosphere or be utilized as nutrients. Some pesticides are broken down in the biologically active wetland zone.

From a hydrological standpoint, wetlands are like a sponge, able to slow and absorb large volumes of water. Buffering the effects of flooding, a wetland holds the water and releases it slowly, preventing damage from quick moving water or from sediment deposition on the surrounding land.

From a recreational standpoint, wetlands provide numerous opportunities for humans to enjoy nature. Birdwatchers are frequent wetland visitors as numerous types of birds utilize wetlands for their habitat or for a resting point during their migration. Canoeists and kayakers enjoy the calm waters of wetlands and can maneuver through places inaccessible by foot traffic. Photographers take advantage of the visual smorgasbord wetlands provide and hunters brave the elements in search of the perfect duck for a holiday feast.

There is no question that wetlands are a critical part of the environment and provide many valuable functions and benefits. While often maligned in the past, a new appreciation for wetlands has developed over the decades. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has been charged with protecting wetlands using Federal programs and services. For more information on wetlands programs through NRCS in Ohio, visit http://www.oh.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/wrp/wetlands_reserve_program.html.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, natural origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA TARGET Center at (202)-720-2600 (Voice and TTD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202)-720-5964 (voice and TTD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.