Meristem: Crop Science

Knowledge of the value of wetlands and overcoming misperceptions surrounding them is key to producers receiving more production benefits from these areas, says a leader in the field of wetlands research.

"Wetlands are the kidneys of the land, purifying its fluids in much the same way kidneys do in the human body," says Lee Foote, an associate professor with the Department of Renewable Resources at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. "In the process, they play critical roles in a number of areas, including human health and food production."

However, Foote says wetlands have historically been thought of by many as detrimental to the landscape. "From a production perspective, they were considered wastelands which take valuable land out of production. But in a broader sense, there has been a fear surrounding wetlands based on mythology and misperception. We tend to fear what we don't understand."

A popular new pilot project has been designed to help dispel these myths by offering producers a sense of the direct, on-the-ground benefits of wetlands and other wildlife habitat areas. Natural Advantage, The On-Farm Wildlife and Biodiversity Planning Service is managed by Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) with funding support provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Greencover Canada Program.

"Natural Advantage offers producers access to a team of trained specialists in the field of wildlife habitat assessment who help them identify, map and classify wildlife habitat on the property," says Foote. "But in a larger sense, it's a tool that can prompt farmers to stop and think about not just the production benefits of wetlands, but the overall quality of life wetlands can add."

Wetlands are the "nuts and bolts" of an ecosystem, says Foote. "In addition to their critical role in water quality and groundwater replenishment, they also slow down the flow of water across the surface. This allows more time for moisture to percolate into the soil and benefit plant life."

Wetlands also promote a diversity of life which often carries a strong appeal in terms of property value, he says. "Generally, when you look at pieces of land with high resale value versus those with low resale value, you quickly find that high diversity of plant and animal life is directly related to a property's appeal. People want to live where there is biodiversity."

The high diversity of life that drives so much of the appeal of wetlands has also historically driven a sense of uncertainty bordering on fear, he says. Popular culture has often played on these fears by making wetlands the setting for horror stories, with the ultimate suggestion being that they are places to be avoided or, worse, destroyed altogether.

However, there are signs the tide of public opinion over wetlands is turning, says Foote. Education, he says, continues to be the fundamental driver of this ongoing process. Also, as consumers become more and more demanding of the environmental standards under which the food they eat is grown, wetland health will play an expanded role in their buying decisions.

"I personally know half a dozen people who will go out and look at the farm their food comes from before they buy. Environmental stewardship plays a large role in these consumers' decision to buy," he says.

For the full story, "A new era of value for wetlands," visit the Meristem Land & Science Web site at www.meristem.com. Further information on the Natural Advantage program is available by contacting DUC wildlife biologists Brett Boukall at 403-348-5258 or Jolene Hillson at 780-439-5145.

Reprintable with permission. Reproduction of this article - in whole or in part, in print or electronic - requires direct permission from Meristem Information Resources, Ltd. Contact Meristem directly to request reprint permission.

Archives

New thinking on the value of wetlands to producers