What are Wetlands?

Wetlands support a wide range of wildlife and act as filters for nutrients, chemicals and sediment carried in water. Their diverse vegetation supports insect life which, in turn, supports fish and birds.

 

Water is cleaner when it has passed through a wetland. Sediment is deposited and natural processes capture or transform chemicals into less harmful forms.

Wetlands can also help reduce flooding because they slow the rate at which water travels. Wetlands may prove to be important archaeological sites since items that fall into them take a long time to degrade.

• Wetlands - overview
   
• Wetlands - pressures and impacts
   
• Wetlands - organisations, projects and references

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