A Great Week for Land Conservation

Wetlands are critical ecosystems. They are nutrient sinks that help to keep excess nitrogen and phosphorus from entering bodies of water. Large amounts nitrogen and phosphorus from agriculture and livestock contribute to dead zones(bodies of water with extrememly low levels of dissolved oxygen) that cannot support life. These zones have been proliferating in the past century due to large loses of wetlands and large increases in the use of fertilizers and lawn care products world wide.

As everyone knows forests are carbon sinks that help protect against global warming and can also help protect against excess runoff. Deforestation accounts for 20% of man-made green house gas emissions. They are also critical for biodiversity as they are the home for many different species.

Last week was a pretty memorable week. Funding to protect 75,000 acres of wetland in 22 states was just approved in the US. And the neighbors to the north just decided to protect 70 million acres of forest. These land conservation moves are critical to reduce green house gas emissions and water run off to help protect against climate change and the proliferation of dead zones in aquatic ecosystems.