Land and Water Use - Environmental Science - page 94

Wetlands are terrestrial areas with water-saturated soils; they include marshes, swamps, and bogs. Found all
over the world and in a wide variety of biomes, wetlands vary in vegetation, wildlife, water levels, nutrients,
and many other factors, depending on the local environment. As one of the most productive ecosystems in the
world (along with coral reefs and tropical rain forests), wetlands are an important component of our ecosys-
tems, providing habitats for wildlife, recharging subsurface water supplies such as aquifers, filtering pollutants,
preventing erosion of coastlines, and acting as flood control. A major human threat facing these important eco-
systems is their destruction as a result of being filled in for agricultural use or for the development of buildings,
roads, and other human uses. They are also threatened by high pollution levels, loss of vegetation, and altera-
tion of water supplies. In the United States, many laws have been enacted to help prevent the destruction and
loss of wetlands. These include the Clean Water Act, the Rivers and Harbors Act, and the Swampbuster provi-
sion in the Food Securities Act. Internationally, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Import-
ance serves to protect wetlands and their resources. Extensive efforts are also being made to restore previously
affected wetlands where possible.
Land Conservation Options
Numerous conservation efforts are being conducted at the local, regional, national, and global levels. Conser-
vation focuses on managing land though sustainable use. In contrast, preservation takes the approach of no
usage, attempting to completely eliminate human impact and to protect the valuable biodiversity and habitats
of ecosystems. The choice of approach depends on individual circumstances, with most organizations and pro-
gram managers taking the conservation approach.
U.S. Federal Programs
In the United States, various federal programs have been established to conserve and protect wildlife and eco-
systems, including U.S. National Forests, U.S. National Grasslands, National Wildlife Refuges, and wilderness
areas. Laws have also been created to help protect biodiversity; they are often amended to protect endangered
species. Such laws include the Wilderness Act and the Endangered Species Act.
National Forests are United States federal lands, comprised mainly of forests and woodlands, which can be
used by the public and for commercial use, including timber. This dual use has created much conflict, because
the interests of the recreational and commercial uses are frequently at odds.
Similar to National Forests, National Grasslands have been established to conserve prairie grasslands. Grass-
lands are also used commercially for grazing and resource extraction, as well as recreationally for hunting and
other recreation. National Grasslands are managed by the Department of Agriculture.
National wildlife refuges protect wildlife, fish, and vegetation, and seek to maintain ecosystem balance. Still,
in many refuges, hunting and fishing are allowed, frequently to cull overpopulation, and for the revenue from
hunting and fishing licenses, which helps to fund the protection and conservation of wildlife and the mainten-
ance of the wildlife refuge system. The first national wildlife refuge was Pelican Island in Florida, designated
as such in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt. There are now over 550 wildlife refuges and 38 wetland
management areas, which are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
As a result of the Wilderness Act of 1964 some federal lands were designated as wilderness areas, in which
the land is relatively undisturbed and undeveloped by humans. These areas are considered part of the National
Wilderness Preservation System and are managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
International Programs