It"s American Wetlands Month, a time to celebrate swamps, marshes, bogs, and other types of these important ecosystems. Wetlands play a vital role in storing carbon, improving water quality, and serving as habitat for many endangered plants and animals, including American crocodiles and whooping cranes. And yet, wetlands are threatened. Over the centuries, they have been drained to provide land for farming, industry, and housing. Pollution and invasive plants pose further threats. Since the late 1700s, more than half of the 221 million acres of wetlands that once existed in the 48 contiguous states have disappeared.
American Wetlands Month
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Snow buntings take flight
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American Wetlands Month
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Guilin and Lijiang River National Park, China
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Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah
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Fall for Chile
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Travel Sunday: Flamenco in Granada, Andalusia, Spain
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Observing World Braille Day in Bavaria
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A lofty lighthouse and a little ocean spray
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Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge
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Fiddlehead fern fronds
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Dunluce Castle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
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World Bee Day
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Heavens Gate Cave, Tianmen Mountain National Park, China
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The Monastery of Roussanou, Greece
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Kangaroo family for National Hugging Day
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Kiteboarding and windsurfing in Croatia
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New York City skyline
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Everglades National Park, Florida
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Spring comes to Glacier National Park
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Celebrating the International Day of Forests
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Seville celebrates first world tour
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A swim in the sky
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South Padre Island, Texas
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In the belly of Fat Bear Week
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Racing toward history
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Let’s celebrate
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Polar bear season in Manitoba
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Cousins Day
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A big birthday for Big Bend
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St. Paul Winter Carnival