It is the LITLLE Things That Count
In a wetland there is water, mangroves, and mud all over. If you spend enough time in the wetland you notice that sometimes an area is covered with water and about six hours later it is dry. Where did the water come from and where did it go? We saw a huge map that showed us that the ocean comes through a port, to the Intracoastal Waterway and into the ESTUARY called West Lake Park. The person in the picture below is Judy Sulser, a naturalist at the park.
The flow in and out of the water is the tide. That is the way living things from the wetland get out into the ocean. The little creatures are eaten by the bigger creatures. One after another the bigger and bigger animals go out to sea where they are eaten by the bigger fish. Then the animal at the top of the food chain eats what is caught. that animal is the fisherman called MAN.
In South Florida there is an industry that hires a lot of people and feeds a lot of people. It is called the Marine Industry. Even if people don't want to save wetlands for ecology reasons, they should save the wetland for jobs and employment. The Marine Industry is all about the environment, boats, tourists that come and see our oceans and water, fishing, seafood, restaurants and more. The little things in the wetland are the start of the whole chain. They are little but they show that it's the little things that count.
We called up the Marine Industry of South Florida office in Ft. Lauderdale Florida and this is what they told us.
Cindy Hudson said,"Preserving wetlands benefits the earth, fish and us in many ways. Wetlands are a natural filter for water, cleaning as it flows through. Wetlands provide a nursery for fish, crustaceans by offering protective cover for the tiny creatures, not to mention a lot of food. Birds are particularly attracted to wetlands due to the large amounts of foods so easily accesible to them. Birds often nest in or near wetlands so they may easily access this resource.
Immature fish and larval crustaceans seek wetlands for safety. Their large numbers attract bigger fish. Without wetlands the quality of water would be very poor indeed. Our biggest wetland, the Everglades, is a good example of what can happen when things are mismanaged. Water flows south from the Kissimmee River basin, through Lake Ocheechobee and south to Florida Bay. Before we developed South Florida, this flow was not dammed or impeded in any way. The water that flowed into Florida Bay was clean and clear. Many creatures, such as conch, redfish, seatrout and others thrived in the Bay. After development and population growth of people, the water that now flows from our great wetland is polluted. Fish, shellfish and crustaceans do not do well in Florida bay today.
Our Everglades also provide something that is very important to us: fresh water. The Everglades is a vast storehouse for fresh water. Due to mismanagement, saltwater is now intruding into the aguafir, where the freshwater is stored in vast amounts. If we do not act fast to imporve the quality of the Everglades, perhaps one day, salt water will come from the faucets of your home."
That is enought to make anyone want to work to preserve wetlands.
To the Marine Industries of South Florida site
Write to us to tell us how you work to preserve the wetlands in your area.