Wetland Values

As the winter snow and ice melt and the world wakes up in spring, my thoughts turn to wetlands.

Why wetlands? Because they are - in my opinion - the most amazing natural habitat on the planet, and the joy I feel watching local wetlands come back to life in the spring is immense.

The diversity found in natural wetlands compares to coral reefs and tropical rainforests, with hundreds of different species found in even a small wetland.

In Illinois, we have lost 90% of the wetlands that were here in the 1830s. The statistics are similar across the country. It comes as no surprise then that more than one-third of the US’s threatened and endangered species live only in wetlands, and nearly half use wetlands at some point in their lives.

Many wetlands were drained for agricultural production over a century ago. More recently, wetlands have been drained for development. Despite strict regulations by the US Army Corps of Engineers through the Clean Water Act, wetland loss still occurs today.

A wetland is much more than “wet” “land.” Wetlands have unique soils that formed over hundreds (or thousands) of years due to being wet for extended periods of time. Wet conditions result in the upper layers of soil being deprived of oxygen (anaerobic).

The plants that grow in these soils are considered water-tolerant (hydrophytic), and when these plants die back each year, they decompose slowly in the water, and result in soil that has a very high “organic” content in its upper layer. Hydric soils make wetlands literally like sponges. The soils absorb and hold large amounts of water – much more water than comparable upland soils.

Wetland soils help control flooding from stormwater run-off and snow melt. They also improve water quality by absorbing excess nutrients and some pollutants, especially sediment. Some wetlands even release water into streams during dry times and help replenish groundwater aquifers.

Wetland loss means more and faster run-off from storms because those natural sponges that slow water flows are gone. Filled wetlands mean more sediment and pollutants flow into rivers and streams, and also less stormwater is retained on the landscape to help recharge groundwater aquifers.

What is a wetland worth? Consider that in exchange for destroying an acre of wetland, developers must pay approximately $65,000 into a wetland bank to help replace that acre of wetland destroyed. At $65,000 an acre, the cost to a community to replace 100 acres of wetland would be $6.5 million!

Woodstock is literally rich in wetlands. The City has several wetland areas: Westwood Conservation Area, Silver Creek Conservation Area, Kishwaukee Headwaters Conservation Area, and Prairie Ridge Fen at the corner of Dean and Route 14 to name just a few.

Westwood Conservation Area, a 63 acre property the City owns on the west side of Westwood Lakes subdivision, is part of a large wetland complex known as “West Woodstock Prairie Natural Area.” This 262 acre wetland, prairie, and oak woodland complex is considered the highest quality, largest unprotected wetland in McHenry County. Because of its size, the area can provide habitat for a wide range of species like Blanding’s turtles, Sandhill cranes and other migrating birds. In addition to its benefits for wildlife, the area already provides benefits for people by recharging groundwater aquifers, filtering stormwater, and providing scenic beauty. A wetland banker might place the replacement value of this resource at $17 million, but I’d say its value to the community is “priceless.”

There is a monthly workday at Westwood Conservation Area on the 4 th Saturday starting at 9am. All are welcome. Contact Linda Balek at 815.337.9502 for more information.