by John R. Goss, DNR Director
The future of Indiana's wetlands will be one of the most important issues debated by the Indiana General Assembly in 2003.
A U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2001 took away the authority that the federal government has exercised for years to protect wetlands that are not directly associated with rivers and lakes.
As a result, Indiana could lose more precious wetlands to bulldozers and excavators.
Wetlands are important to wildlife, providing habitat for more than one third of Indiana's endangered species, including the Blanding's turtle, short-eared owl and copperbelly water snake.
Wetlands also are important for people.
Life itself cannot exist without a supply of safe drinking water. Wetlands protect drinking water by filtering out many pollutants before they reach water companies or the faucets in your home.
Wetlands also are an essential part of the water cycle. They store water, which reduces the threat of flooding, and they recharge groundwater aquifers.
Sometime during this debate, I'll guarantee that someone will say to you something like this: "Wetlands are nothing but a breeding ground for mosquitoes. And with West Nile virus... ."
Don't let them get away with it.
Wetlands provide the natural biological mechanisms to control mosquitoes. Dragonflies, damselflies, water striders, backswimmers and predacious diving beetles thrive in wetlands and they devour mosquitoes.
The real West Nile threat is from shallow pools of water found after a rainfall in fields or in abandoned rubber tires.
I'll bet you're wondering what you can do to help.
Gov. Frank O'Bannon has asked the DNR, the Department of Environmental Management and the Office of the Commissioner of Agriculture to build a coalition to protect Hoosier wetlands.
We'll be talking with farmers, developers, environmentalists, bird watchers, students, hunters and anglers about how Hoosiers can build consensus on this issue.
We'll have a Web site (www.wetlands.IN.gov) so Hoosiers can learn more about wetlands.
Students can help by studying wetlands. When you're old enough, join a group like The Nature Conservancy, Indiana Wildlife Federation or others that work to conserve wetlands.
And never hesitate to let public policy makers know just how devoted Hoosiers are to clean water and protecting endangered wildlife.
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