Wetland Threats

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Wetland Threats Wetland Education

• Joan Chadde, Education Program Coordinator
• Center for Science and Environmental Outreach
• Western U.P. Center for Science, Mathematics
  and Environmental Education
• Dept. of Civil Environmental Engineering
• Michigan Technological University

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Lecture Objectives

• 1) Describe amount of wetland loss in U.S.
• 2) Describe human actions that threaten wetlands.
• 3) Identify causes of wetland alteration.
• 4) Provide overview of educational programs and
  materials.
• 5) Identify organizations and agencies with
  wetland education mission.

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How Much Wetland Area Has Been Lost?? (since
pre-settlement 1600s)?

• Nationwide 53 (in lower 48)
• Great Lakes Basin 70
• Michigan
• 50 of total wetlands lost
• 70 of coastal wetlands
• 75 of Michigan wetlands in private ownership.
• (from Living With Michigan Wetlands A
  Landowners Guide)

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Major Effects of Wetland Losses

• 50 loss of spawning grounds for fish
• 50 loss of waterfowl habitat
• 50 loss of flood control capability
• 50 loss of erosion control and sediment-trapping
  capability

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Why So Much Wetland Loss?

• Perception of wetlands as wastelands and
  swamps
• ( ignorance)
• Economic incentives for development and urban
  sprawl

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Major Causes of Wetland Loss Degradation

• A) Biological Alterations
• B) Chemical Alterations
• C) Physical Destruction or
• Degradation

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A) Biological Alterations

• 1. Removal of wetland or riparian vegetation
• 2. Introduction of non-native/exotic species

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Removal of riparian vegetation next to stream
due to residential development.
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Farming up to edge of stream.
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Livestock corral adjacent to stream
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Introduced weeds and non-native plants, i.e.
purple loosestrife need to be controlled
through biological, chemical and/or mechanical
means or prevented by proper land management,
i.e. minimize disturbance.
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Chemical Alterations

• 1. Release of pollutants toxic
• chemicals
• 2. Change in nutrient levels

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Site Name Portage Township Landfill Site
Address SOUTH OF M-26 SHARON RD City
HOUGHTON Zip Code 49931 County Houghton Source
Landfill Pollutant(s) Manganese Cadmium , Nickel
Toluene , Bs(ethylhexyl)phthal Score 40 out
of 48 Score Date 1991-05-09 Township 54N Range
34W Section 25 Quarter NW Quarter/Quarter
SW Status Active
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Site Name Florida Gas Site Address M-26
Franklin St. City Laurium Zip Code
49913 County Houghton Source Petroleum Coal
Products Pollutant(s) Heavy Metals , Volatile
HCs PNAs , Semi-Volatile HCs Score 44 out of
48 Score Date 1992-08-31 Township 56N Range
33W Section 25 Quarter NW Quarter/Quarter
Status Active
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Environmental Response Division Michigan Dept. of
Environmental Quality Website
http//www.deq.state.mi.us/erd/ Click on
"Contaminated Sites in Michigan" where you can
search by county or city. Mission To effectively
determine, evaluate, and control risks to the
environment and the health, safety, and welfare
of Michigan's citizens by carrying out cleanup or
other response activities at sites of
environmental contamination.
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Agricultural runoff carries pesticides,
fertilizers and manure.
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Livestock corral on streams allows manure
(nutrients) to enter stream unfiltered by
vegetation.
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Sediment plume discharging into river and then
entering lake.
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Physical Destruction or Degradation_____

• 1. Filling
• 2. Draining
• 3. Dredging Stream Channelization
• 4. Peat Mining
• 5. Flooding Changes in Sediment Deposition
  Patterns due to Dam Construction.
• 6. ATV/Recreational Uses

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Boom Times In Northwest Michigan by Dr. Joe
VanderMuelen, Land Information Access
Association Recently, a local contractor told me
how very well his company is doing. "We're
totally booked through next spring. It's so busy,
I'm turning work away every week. And I can't
find anyone to recommend. Everybody's booked.
It's really great But it can't go on like this.
There's gotta be an end to it. (Does there?)
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Stream channelization straightening of rivers
streams for railroad and highways.
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Peat Mining

• Michigan is largest peat producer.
• Other large peat producers are Florida,
  Illinois, Indiana, and Minnesota
• Peatland crop production (sod, carrots, onions,
  celery, potatoes, lettuce, cranberries, mint,
  radishes.
• Horticultural use containerized seedlings used
  in forest industry.

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Flooding (and flood damage) is much greater when
streams are straightened and riparian vegetation
has been removed.
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WETLANDS DAMAGE FORCES ATV BAN ATVs have been
banned in three lake areas of the Chequamegon
Natl Forest after the destruction of delicate
wetlands by ATVs in summer 2000. The Valhalla
Sunbowl near Washburn, WI has been permanently
closed to ATVs after a small wetland once home to
frogs, deer and rabbits was turned into gray muck
and pools filled with stagnant water by ATV
riders. It is estimated to take 10-15 years to
repair..
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II. Education Efforts to Protect and
Enhance Wetlands____

• A. Public Education
• Brochures booklets
• Landowners Guide handbooks
• Landowner workshops
• Videos
• Logger certification programs
• Teacher workshops
• Curriculum development K-12 and university
• Childrens literature
• What is biggest threat to Michigan water quality?
• .ignorance and apathy. (Ellie Bunzendahl, CEE,
  MTU

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Educational materials for landowners and public
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Workshops for ranchers, farmers and landowners.
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Forest Stewardship Programs educate forest
landowners loggers.
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• Teacher workshops
• wetlands
• soils
• stream monitoring
• wildife
• Lake Superior
• WOW! The Wonders of Wetlands An Educators Guide
• A Thousand Friends of Frogs Educator Activity
  Guide
• http//cgee.hamline.edu/frogs/

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Wetlands Ecology Course _at_ university level
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• Trap Rock River
• Adopt-a-Stream Project
• 1995-2001
• Lake Linden-Hubbell
• Middle School students
• cleaning the Trap Rock River,
• near Lake Linden.
• Trap Rock River Newsletter
• sent to all residents of school
• district.
• 65 tires removedand lots of several pick-up
  trucks of trash.

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B. Organizations Agencies with Wetland
Education Protection Mission___

• State and Federal Agencies
• Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources Dept. of
• Environmental Quality
• U.S. EPA (epa.gov/owow/wetlands/)
• U.S. Fish Wildlife Service
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
• U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

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Professional Organizations

• Society of Wetland Scientists (sws.org)
• Soil Water Conservation Society
• Advocacy Stewardship Organizations
• Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council
  (www.watershedcouncil.org/)
• Michigan Land Use Institute (www.mlui.org)
• Protection/Conservation Organizations
• The Nature Conservancy
• Michigan Nature Association
• Keweenaw Land Trust, etc.

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Summary

• 3 categories of wetland
• alteration
• Major causes of wetland
• loss degradation
• Education is essential