Celebrating Our Wetlands

Ron Wilson

Created more than three decades ago, American Wetlands Month is a celebratory nod to the importance of these often overlooked but highly productive ecosystems.

While American Wetlands Month is celebrated in May, wetlands are a vital part of North Dakota’s fabric no matter what the calendar reads.

“Wetlands are incredibly important to North Dakota, not only for wildlife species, but also for humans in the state,” said John Palarski, North Dakota Game and Fish Department migratory game bird management supervisor. “And really, wetlands are a big part of what makes the state incredibly unique. The Prairie Pothole Region runs through the majority of North Dakota, which is really highlighted by the density of wetlands that we have.”

Wetlands provide a number of benefits for wildlife, particularly waterfowl and other shorebird species, and humans as well.

“Regarding the human population, wetlands are fantastic for flood mitigation, increasing water quality and cycling through nutrients,” Palarski said. “They provide a whole host of benefits to humans that go largely unseen but are important to North Dakotans nonetheless.”

Palarski said wetlands are the habitat backbone in North Dakota.

“In North Dakota, wetlands are the foundation of which all other things really derive from. In spring and summer, wetlands provide the foundation for waterfowl and shorebirds nesting and breeding in the state,” he said. “As we move through summer and into fall as things start to dry up again, they also provide some excellent habitat for deer and pheasants. And during winter, wetlands surrounded by cattails provide thermal refuge for these animals and others as well. Wetlands are probably the most critical habitat type we have in North Dakota.”

While Palarski said North Dakota has its share of big, permanent wetlands, many of which are waters that anglers like to fish, the bulk of the wetlands in the state are temporary.

“They undergo a wet and dry cycle, which is important for maintaining fertility of these wetlands,” he said. “Often, by August and September, they’re actually dry. But in spring and early summer, they provide a lot of value for migrating waterfowl and nesting waterfowl that we have in the state. Temporary wetlands are productive for the invertebrates favored by nesting waterfowl. Because raising a brood of ducks is energetically taxing, those bugs and invertebrates provide a whole host of nutrients for our nesting waterfowl and helps increase production.”

Over time, North Dakota has lost a little over half of its wetlands, and that rate of loss has actually been speeding up in recent years.

“Considering the threats with urbanization, development and agriculture, there are a lot of demands in North Dakota and wetlands have declined largely in part to a lot of those factors,” Palarski said. “Wetlands are incredibly important to have on the landscape. It’s important for people to realize, too, that just because a wetland is dry, it’s still a wetland. When the rains do return, when we get a lot of snow in winter, they provide a lot of value for wildlife.”

If you drive up to one of North Dakota’s many wetlands during American Wetlands Month, or other times of the year, it’s only a guess what you’ll find.

“The really cool thing is that you actually don’t know what you’re going to see. There’s a whole host of species that you could encounter, such as waterfowl and many different shorebird species,” Palarski said. “Wetlands, like the unexpected wildlife species you may encounter, are unique and are a big part of what makes our state so special.”