FOR LOVE OF A SWAMP

To many people wetlands are still swamps, marshes, and bogs; mosquito infested, oozing places that would be more useful if paved over and made into shopping malls and housing developments. But that ooze is the source of life that provides important benefits to fish, wildlife, and humans.

"Water Plants"   

Since the time of George Washington, who formed a company to drain the great "dismal swamp" that later became our nation's capital, we have drained or filled wetlands. We have converted thousands of acres to gain more farmland, housing, parking lots, and even dumping grounds for household and hazardous wastes.

There are many definitions of wetlands, but put simply, wetlands are usually wet. The three criteria used to determine a wetland are: the presence of wet soil, water in the form of flooding or saturation, and vegetation or plants that grow in water. One delightful definition is "A wetland is where the water makes love to the land."

There are two broad categories of wetlands: coastal wetlands, where rivers and oceans meet, and inland wetlands, which are found along rivers and streams or as isolated depressions or meadows. Inland wetlands comprise approximately 95% of the wetlands acreage remaining in the U.S.

We have lost most of the wetlands in our country. During colonial times approximately 215 million acres of wetlands existed in what is now the lower 48 states. By the mid 1970's only 99 million acres remained, a loss of approximately half of the original wetlands. Since 1970, 290 thousand acres have been lost. Tennessee has lost from 50 to 80% of its wetlands.

One problem with preserving wetlands is that most wetlands are privately owned. In Tennessee 90 to 95% of the wetlands are in private hands. Private owners feel free to fill wetlands, to use them for agricultural purposes, to build apartment houses, or shopping malls. It is of extreme importance that private landowners are educated, along with the general public, as to the functions and values of wetlands.

"The Turtle" 

Functions and Values of Wetlands

Flood and Storm Water Damage Protection Wetlands act like sponges, slowing the slow of floods by temporarily storing flood and runoff waters.

Water Purification Pollutants can be removed through absorption by plants and soils.

Maintenance of Water Supply Wetlands can serve as groundwater recharging zones, improving the flow of streams.

Preservation of Wildlife Habitats Wetlands provide breeding, nesting, rearing and wintering habitats for many fish and wildlife species. These include endangered species, such as whooping cranes, bald eagles and wood storks.

Commercial Products Wetlands provide breeding grounds for fish and shellfish and are home for many species of timber, for wild rice and cranberries.

Climatic Influences Wetlands help control atmospheric pollution by removing excess nitrogen and carbon produced by humans.

Recreation and Natural Beauty Places for hunting and fishing, canoeing and boating, nature study and photography and outdoor education are provided by wetlands.

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The preservation of wetlands has become an issue of passion and activism for the League of Women Voters of Chattanooga-Hamilton County.

"Cattails" 

One cold, wet April morning about fifty people of all ages, races and cultural backgrounds donned blue jeans and boots and gathered at Audubon Acres in Chattanooga. What would bring people out on this kind of day? Was it the promise of a free box lunch? A day off from school, or from their normal routine? The chance to wade through mud and water? Perhaps a little of each, depending on the person, but what drew people to this workshop was the opportunity to learn more about something very few people seem to care about -- swamps. The League of Women Voters of Chattanooga-Hamilton County received a grant from LVWUS Education Fund in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency for a Wetlands Citizen Education Program. Our goal was to promote community awareness and involvement in protecting our local wetlands. We reached out to people who were not familiar with, or involved in, environmental concerns. Our audience included, among others, people from middle schools, high schools, university students, garden clubs, African Americans, retired people, Japanese, teachers, a doctor, and an attorney.

Participants spent the morning attending seminars led by various governmental and private agencies. The afternoon was spent visiting a constructed wetland at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and "tromping through the swamps" of Chattanooga.

"Water Reeds" 

Most of the participants had no firsthand knowledge of wetlands. They had no idea that there were wetlands to be found within the city limits of Chattanooga. By the end of the day they had not only developed an understanding and appreciation of our local wetlands, but had fun doing it.

In preparation for the workshop, middle school and high school students watched a slide presentation provided by the League and were given a brochure prepared by Jo Walters, President of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County League. The brochure was adapted from information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Sierra Club Magazine and the National Wetlands Inventory and was designed to provide basic information on wetlands.

Some students video taped the presentations and the "Tromp through the Swamp." Others took phonographs and prepared a bulletin board for their school. One group prepared an informational bulletin on wetlands, which they distributed to their school community. One person who had no previous knowledge of wetlands went on to win first place in the state for an educational exhibit on wetlands for the Tennessee Garden Clubs. The League of Women Voters was honored by Scenic Cities Beautiful Commission for their "outstanding contribution and betterment of our community."

We had excellent media coverage by the local television stations and the newspaper. Hopefully, this workshop increased the awareness of the benefits of wetlands to many in our community.

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