In my research on #wetlands, I’ve been to some spectacular, internationally important places. Canoed the turquoise waters of the Columbia #floodplain Wetlands, hiked to #peatlands nestled in mountain valleys of the upper Bow River clamboured over dunes to #swales in the Long Point World Biosphere Reserve. My ❤️🔥in these wild places but more and more I’m thinking of #urban wetlands. Why? A short 🧵🪡
Urban #wetlands are unglamorous compared to these other #wild , nearly pristine wetlands. They are usually full of #invasiveplants and litter. They don’t have the same #biodiversity. They’re more often small and fragmented. But this doesn’t mean they’re not #valuable! There is wildlife there, if you look.
When we talk about #wetland #values, it’s important to understand that #value is the product of the #ecosystem #function AND the number of people who #benefit from the function. So, if a wetland slows down the flow of runoff, that’s a function, but if it does that upstream of your house during a major storm, THAT’S when it has value. Sure being near so many ppl causes stress and effects their integrity, but it also means they benefit A LOT of people. More people visit them, learn from them too!
Anyway, this is all to say you can’t argue #urban wetlands are not valuable. #UrbanWetlands are not wastelands. In fact, increasingly I’m convinced they are some of our MOST #valuable natural heritage features. It is essential we protect them. Fight #Bill23. Fight #development in the #greenbelt. Fight #WetlandCompensationPolicy. Defend and restore #wetlands in urban areas. (Infographic by Megan Jordan from #SaveOntarioWetlands
Another way to think about #value is in terms of #rarity. We have lost up to 90% of #wetlands in many of our #urban areas. These few remnant wetlands are therefore all the more precious because they are all we have left, even if they’re not pristine.