Celebrate World Water Day

Visit a wetland near you and connect with water
AWARE Simcoe March 22 2012
There are more wetlands in Canada than in any other country in the world. Canada is home to about one quarter of the world’s wetlands, covering 14 percent of our country.

Wetlands are a vital part of our environment: About one third of the species at risk, including Blanding’s turtles, northern leopard frogs and piping plovers, rely on wetlands for survival. Wetlands aren’t just important to wildlife; they play a vital role in our day-to-day lives, too. We rely on them for clean water, they provide protection from floods, and they guard soil against erosion.
But half of the world’s wetlands have been lost since 1800.
Here in Ontario, an estimated 72 per cent (1.4 million ha) of the plentiful wetlands that covered a quarter of Southern Ontario in 1800 have been converted to other uses.
The loss continues, at a rate of around 3,543 ha a year.
Simcoe County has many wonderful wetlands: the Minesing Swamp; Wye Marsh  and Tiny Marsh are the large ones, with many more small treasures dotted around the landscape. Visit a wetland near you and connect with water!

The business case: Wetland loss in the Lake Simcoe watershed costs more than water quality