Over 50% of wetlands have been lost; it's time to recognize their value.
Wetlands are providing many key benefits to our communities, however they are often overlooked for their true values. Recognizing wetlands as infrastructure, as a crucial part of the survival of our cities and towns, offers a framework to preserve wetlands for what they can do for humans, but also for the wildlife that use them.
Worldwide, over $80 billion USD are spent on grey infrastructure like roads and bridges. If urban planners and other key stakeholders realize the true value of wetlands, green infrastructure, in the same way that roads and bridges are valued, there is a potential for conservation. Once a wetland is lost, it may only regain 20-25% of its original function, thus conserving or restoring what is present today is the best way to preserve our wetland infrastructure. While wetlands can't solve every problem, it's clear that we are better off with them than without.
Learn more about the role wetland infrastructure can provide: