Slowing Wetland Biodiversity Loss

Posted by Dawn M. Smith Aug 12, 2008

The old saw –An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure-certainly applies to loss of biodiversity, especially in wetlands. Given that there are very few wetlands that have even had a complete survey done to determine what is there, the chances of replacing everything that is lost would be very low.

We are just learning about the value of wetlands. We spent years draining them because of the disease carrying mosquitoes. Or because we thought the land could be put to better use.

Now we find that, oops, those wetlands actually serve many purposes, not the least of which is storage of carbon and slowing the decay of organic material.

So we have the chance to do the right thing for some of the world’s remaining wetlands. The Florida Everglades are the subject of a massive restoration project. But that project is unlikely to result in the level of biodiversity that once existed in South Florida. Too much land, and water, has disappeared from the ‘river of grass’ for all the plants and animals to return.

The Pantanal, shared by Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay, is just beginning to face some of the development threats that nearly wiped out the Everglades. Stopping them will be expensive, but not nearly as expensive as undoing the damage after it is done.

We know better now, or at least we should.