Wetlands

VIDEO COMING SOON

Among the most carbon-dense and biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, 40% of the world’s species live or breed in wetland habitats, yet over half of all wetlands have been lost since 1900. Long regarded as wastelands, they were drained, filled, or treated as dumping grounds. Scientists estimate that up to 87% may have been lost over the past three hundred years. Wetlands capture carbon and bury it in waterlogged soils, where it can remain for centuries or millennia, with up to 5 times more carbon per unit area than tropical forests. Coastal wetlands like mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes also serve as buffers against rising seas, reducing the risk of coastal flooding and erosion, and safeguarding 60% of the human population who reside in coastal areas. Restoring wetland ecosystems benefits biodiversity, carbon removal, and coastal resilience - simultaneously. 

- NOAA, Blue Carbon Initiative, United Nations

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Support local and national wetland conservation and restoration initiatives

• Volunteer for wetland cleanups and native plant restoration with local organizations.

• Reduce fertilizer and pesticide use — runoff degrades wetland water quality.