A beautiful purple plant has some very ugly effects on many wetland ecosystems—listen up: What do you call a purple alien that’s really tough to get rid of? Purple loosestrife…and it’s no joke. First spotted in the Great Lakes region near Lake Ontario in 1869, this pretty but invasive purple flowering plant takes over wetland …
Tag Archive: wetlands
Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/citizen-science-2/the-wetlands-devil-in-disguise/
Mar 19
This (Wet)land Was Made for You and Me
The benefits of swamps, marshes, and other wetland wonderlands are worth singing about. Join the chorus: People once considered wetlands useless, as little more than soggy ground waiting to be drained and put to better use. Now we recognize wetlands as the croon-worthy areas they are. Besides being quiet places of safety and serene seclusion …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/stormwater-management/wetland-wonderlands/
Feb 01
Restoring Great Lakes Wetlands
Lakeshore marshes and meadows create wildlife habitat and provide benefits to people, too … Howe: “Filtering your water, absorbing high water during flooding events, providing more fish and wildlife experiences for people.” Jim Howe directs the Nature Conservancy of Central and Western New York. He says maintaining these ecosystems requires occasional fluctuations in water level. …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/stormwater-management/restoring-great-lakes-wetlands/
Nov 26
Wetlands, Extreme Rain, and Climate Change
Wetlands slow and absorb water, making them critical for flood control as extreme weather becomes more common. Slow down and absorb this: Wetlands were once seen as boggy, buggy swamps with no value. Many were filled in and paved over to make room for new development. William Coon, a hydrologist with the US Geological Survey, …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/stormwater-management/wetlands-extreme-rain-and-climate-change/
Nov 13
From Farms to Feathers
Reclaimed wetlands bring back native plants, animals, and rare birds for the eco-win. Listen up: Fifteen years ago, the non-profit Wetlands Initiative bought 3,000 acres of former wetland in Illinois. The land had been drained and used to grow crops for more than a century. But once they began letting the water back onto the …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/restoration-and-conservation-initiatives/from-farms-to-feathers/