May is American Wetlands Month—a time to celebrate one of nature’s most productive ecosystems!
This year the Service is highlighting the release of our national 2009-2019 Wetlands Status and Trends report, the 6th in a series of congressionally mandated reports spanning nearly 70 years. These reports influence wetland policy and resource management by driving collaboration and cooperative planning between federal, state, and local partners and informing decision-making around natural resource management.
The report found that net wetland loss increased by 50% over the past decade with vegetated wetlands, like marshes and swamps, being disproportionately impacted. These wetlands are disappearing so quickly that 670,000 acres were lost between 2009 and 2019, an area approximately equal to the land area of Rhode Island. These losses lead to the reduced health, safety, and prosperity of all Americans, as well as the decline of commercially, culturally, and recreationally valuable species. The important scientific information in this report is a call to action and provides an opportunity for the country to work together in response.
As we celebrate wetlands this May, please join us in learning more about these vital habitats, how they are changing, and how we can work together to better conserve wetlands and their benefits.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works to protect and restore wetlands through a wide range of programs, in this way conserving wetlands and their benefits for future generations. The Service's National Wildlife Refuge System protects high quality wetland habitat within most of its 570 refuges spread across the United States. The Coastal Program promotes cooperative coastal wetland conservation so that wildlife and local communities thrive. The Migratory Birds Program works with partners to protect, restore, and conserve bird populations and their habitats for the benefit of future generations. The National Wetlands Inventory Program provides foundational wetland data necessary for the Service and all Americans to strategically manage our wetland habitats and associated ecosystem benefits.
Wetlands Stories
Follow our stories to learn more about these amazing habitats and the role the Service plays in conserving them.
