Restoring wetlands holds tremendous cultural importance because the physical land being restored is what formed Cajun culture. The terms “wetland” and “culture” blend fact and passion into fuel for conservation efforts. This unique culture is a wetland and the individuals are as cypress trees in a swamp.
Conservation of Wetlands
Louisiana is sinking. It is becoming common knowledge that almost a football field worth of land is lost every hour. These coastal wetlands are disappearing due to saltwater creep, erosion, and a levee system that blocks sedimentation. The disappearance of wetlands is concerning because wetlands do a lot for humans. Wetlands act as a sponge-like buffer between coastal storms and inland communities. Freshwater wetlands also act as water filtration systems, and support vast amounts of life. Many commercial fishing markets rely on animals caught in wetlands.
It is very important to restore and conserve our wetlands, but conservation efforts can’t begin without knowledge of individual wetlands and community support. So what are the different types of wetland?
Marshes
Marshes are permanently flooded areas with dominant grass species. They act as nurseries for many crustaceans, mollusks, fish, and waterfowl. Marshes can be saltwater, brackish (somewhat salty, somewhat fresh), or freshwater. Freshwater marshes support much more biodiversity than saltwater marshes. When saltwater from the Gulf creeps into freshwater areas, most of the plants die because they are not capable of handling the salinity change. When the plants die, the root system holding everything together disappears, leaving behind an open expanse of water.
The Acadian Museum