Bald Eagle flying over Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Jack Moskovita
Wetland Restoration in the Puget Sound
What is a Wetland?
A wetland is an area where the types of plants and animals that live there are governed by the lands saturation with water. The water saturation can be permanent or seasonal. In the case of Puget Sound, wetlands experience tidal inundation. Oceanic water coming in on high tide invades low-lying land. This type of wetland is a tidal wetland.
Why are Wetlands Important?
Wetlands provide ecosystem services, benefits people receive from healthy, functioning ecosystems. Some of those benefits are:
- Shoreline stability ·
- Protection from storms ·
- Water purification ·
- Groundwater replenishment ·
- Flood control ·
- Recreation and tourism
- Act as nursery habitat for commercially important species
Why are Wetland in the Puget Sound Degraded?
Puget Sound has a rich history of population and export. Resources such as coniferous trees, shellfish and salmon have not only defined the landscape but also development. As the population has increased greater demand has been put on the ecosystems that support it. Urban development has changed nearly one third of the Puget shoreline [1]. Modifications such as bulkheads and sea walls reduce nutrient exchange and lowers food availability for many animals. Developed surfaces also allow runoff of chemicals and pollutants to directly flow into the sound. Loss of habitat due to land development has reduced some animal populations to a critical level. Over seventy percent of salt marshes, eel grass beds and estuarine habitat have been reduced over the last 125 years [1].
An Investigation into the Processes of Wetland Restoration
Puget Sound has taken proactive efforts to restore wetlands habitat. By taking a closer look at several locations throughout the Puget Sound, we can see the process of how restoration goals are implemented. We will examine three sites in different phases of wetlands restoration. To understand how a wetland restoration works we must look at a variety of methods.
