From Deseret News archives:
Web of life
Utah wetlands one of 295 'Local Secrets, Big Finds' sites picked by Travelocity
"It demonstrates that visitors and tourists are really appreciating the unique wetlands habitats of the Great Salt," said Larisa Barry, director of communications for the Nature Conservancy.
In the past, Utah's wetlands were seen as smelly, soggy land to not only avoid but to eliminate. The land was judged better used for growing crops and for building homes, roads and industrial parks. Today, people are becoming more aware of the benefits of Utah's wetlands and are working hard to preserve them.
Despite urban myths, a healthy functioning wetland can actually reduce the mosquito population, help regulate water levels within a watershed and provide a habitat for fish, wildlife and people.
Mosquito control programs use to start by draining wetlands in an effort to eliminate the standing water, where mosquitoes breed. The problem with that approach was that although mosquitoes have a short life cycle (four days to a month), their eggs can survive for more than a year waiting for the right conditions to hatch. The drained wetlands may still hold enough water after a rain to allow the dormant eggs to hatch and give the next generation of mosquitoes a chance to hatch and breed with no natural enemies to keep their population down.
One of the positive roles of the wetland is the way it works as a flood control.
"It can moderate big rain and flood events," said Montague.
Recent comments
For a thoughtful analysis of wetlands and water quality, and in...
varanus | Aug. 14, 2007 at 12:09 p.m.
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