Why Wetlands Matter: Celebrating May as National Wetlands Month

By Perry Thomas

Why Wetlands Matter: Celebrating May as National Wetlands Month

If you start looking for wetlands in Kentucky, you quickly realize they’re everywhere.

They appear in obvious places—marshes, ponds, creeks, and river bottoms—but also in quieter corners of the landscape: low spots along a farm field, wooded floodplains beside streams, or shallow pools that form after spring rains. These landscapes are part of the fabric of our state, shaping both the natural environment and the lives of the people who call this place home.

Earlier this spring, conservation districts across the state celebrated winners of the 2025 Kentucky Conservation Writing and Jim Claypool Art Contests. This year’s theme was Kentucky Wetlands Up Close, and many students submitted essays and posters urging their communities to “save the wetlands.” 

The students’ message reflects a growing recognition that wetlands are not wastelands, but some of Kentucky’s most valuable ecosystems.

What Wetlands Do

Wetland scientists often talk about “wetland functions”—the important jobs wetlands perform for both ecosystems and human communities.

One of the ways KAEE guides learners to an understanding of what wetlands do is through an Aquatic WILD learning experience titled “Wetland Metaphors.” We provide a bag of mysterious things and challenge learners to consider how each item might be a wetland function. It’s an exercise in metaphor: “all the world’s a stage” or “love is a rose,” applied to shallow waters across Kentucky.

Wetlands as Filters

One object is a filter, representing wetlands’ remarkable ability to improve water quality.

Wetlands trap sediment, absorb nutrients, and help filter pollutants from water before they move downstream. Some scientists compare wetlands to kidneys because of the way they cleanse and process water moving through the landscape.

This function matters enormously across the Commonwealth, because runoff from fields and developed areas can affect streams and rivers.

Wetlands as Sponges

Another object was a sponge.

Wetlands absorb and temporarily store water during heavy rains, slowing the movement of floodwater downstream. When wetlands are drained or channelized, water moves more quickly through the landscape, often increasing flood risks for downstream communities.

Healthy wetlands act like natural infrastructure. They reduce erosion, recharge groundwater, and help moderate flooding in ways that benefit both people and wildlife.

Wetlands as Magic

A magic wand represented the incredible life found in wetlands.

A single drop of wetland water can contain an astonishing diversity of microscopic life. Frogs, salamanders, dragonflies, turtles, ducks, fish, and countless other species depend on wetlands during some or all of their life cycles.

Furthermore, conservation organizations sometimes call wetlands “magicians of water quality” because of their ability to absorb and filter stormwater. But anyone who has spent time quietly observing a wetland knows there is also something genuinely magical about

these places.

Wetlands Can’t Speak for Themselves

The final object was a whistle — a reminder that wetlands need people willing to speak up for them.

One example of someone speaking on behalf of a wetland happened recently in Henry County. When a local organization sought approval for a project from the county Board of Adjustments, a citizen expressed concerns about protecting a wooded area (the riparian zone) along Six Mile Creek upstream from an educational field station.

Because those concerns were raised publicly, protections for the riparian woodland were included in the project requirements. It was a reminder that conservation often depends on engaged citizens who are willing to ask questions and advocate for responsible stewardship.

Why Conservation Matters Now

Historical maps of Kentucky reveal just how much wetland habitat has already been lost.

Before widespread development, wetlands covered large portions of the state, especially along river floodplains like those of the Kentucky River. Today, much of that habitat has disappeared.

That loss makes the wetlands that remain even more valuable.

Fortunately, there are many ways locals can help:

• Learn to recognize wetlands in your community. We suggest checking out the Kentucky Division of Water’s Wetlands program and map as starting points.

• Support streamside buffer protection and responsible land use practices. 

• Participate in water monitoring efforts such as Kentucky Watershed Watch. 

• Partner with Kentucky Green Schools to offer Project WET and Aquatic WILD learning experiences that engage Green Teams in learning more about wetlands.

• Encourage habitat restoration projects on public and private lands. 

• Share stories and photographs that help others appreciate these ecosystems. 

Organizations across Kentucky—from local conservation groups to national partners like Ducks Unlimited—continue working to restore and protect wetland habitat for future generations.

Celebrating Wetlands in Kentucky

May is recognized as National Wetlands Month, making it a perfect time to slow down and notice these landscapes that quietly support so much life around us.

Wetlands protect water quality. They reduce flooding. They sustain wildlife. They connect us to the natural history of our state. And perhaps most importantly, they remind us that healthy communities depend on healthy ecosystems.

The next time you pass a marsh, pond, vernal pool, or wooded floodplain in Kentucky, take a closer look.

You may discover a bit of magic near your home, too.