Click to Enlarge Spring, when the wetland plants are still short, is the best time to spot an American bittern (left photo). These western painted turtles bask in the sun after feeding on aquatic plants, snails and crayfish.   Smelly, Soggy, Super-soaking Wetlands by Bonnie Chasteen and Joan McKee Remember hurricane Katrina? The floodwaters forced thousands of families from their homes. Super-soaking flood control But what if we had a good way of keeping floods from destroying homes? What if we put giant sponges along our waterways? These big sponges could soak up water before it over-flows onto roads and into buildings. Then after the rain stops, these humongous sponges could slowly release water, while trapping soil and pollutants so they can break down into harmless substances. And what if animals and plants discover that they can live in these mega-sponges? Shelter, food and water are what they need, and this big sponge would offer it all. The giant sponge idea is not as freaky as you might think. Nature has been using it to soak and store water for billions of years. We know these ginormous sponges as wetlands, and every region has them, especially along rivers and coasts. Missouri used to have a lot of wetlands. About 4.5 million acres of wetlands once lined Missouri’s rivers. Settlers thought that wetlands were wastelands. They drained the wetlands, cut down the trees, then planted crops in the rich soil left behind. Other wetlands were drained and filled in with dirt, so cities and businesses could expand on the land. By 1968, nearly 90 percent of Missouri’s wetlands had been destroyed. Time for a change Then something happened to change people’s minds about wetlands. Rivers became too dirty for fish to live in or people to swim in. One river in Ohio was so polluted that it even caught on fire! People decided it was time to clean up our rivers. In 1972, Congress passed the Clean Water Act to protect our nation’s waterways and the wetlands that buffer them. Nowadays, we know the value of wetlands, and many agencies, groups and communities are trying to save and restore them. Wetlands are wet land But what is a wetland, exactly? It’s land that is wet, at least part of the year. Examples of wetlands are marshes, where reeds and other grass-like plants grow, and swamps, which have water-loving trees and shrubs. The soil in all wetlands is porous or sponge-like. If you step on your lawn after a rain, your foot will often sink in, leaving a shallow footprint. But if you step into a wetland, you may sink farther—maybe even up to your knees. Smells like lunch What makes a wetland so interesting is all the different kinds of plants and animals that live there. In fact, you can find more animals and plants per acre in a wetland than in any other kind of habitat. Why? Because of all the great places to eat! In the wet environment, dead plants and animals decay quickly with the help of hungry worms, crayfish and microscopic bacteria. With all this decay, wetlands don’t always smell good to people, but plants flourish. In turn, plants provide food and nesting and hiding places for the animals that live there. And of course, there’s lots of water, which everything needs to survive. Unfortunately, many of the creatures that can only live in wetlands are now rare or endangered. This is because so many wetlands have been destroyed. But there is good news for wetland species living along the Missouri River. After the 1993 and 1995 floods in Missouri, many people didn’t want to return to their flooded farms, homes and businesses. Some of this land is being restored to wetlands. Columbia Bottom near St. Louis and Big Muddy near Boonville are two examples. Next time you visit a stinky, soggy, super-soaking wetland, take a deep breath and say, “Thanks, wetland, for protecting our homes and habitat!” You might even stay around to catch a fish, canoe a slough or spot a fun-to-see frog, turtle or bird.