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Our Wonderful
Wetlands
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Resources
Education
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Dear Wetland Students:
Are you ready to explore our wonderful wetlands? We hope so! To
help you learn about several types of wetlands in our area, we are taking
you on a series of explorations. For each exploration, we have included
a variety of information and activities about wetlands. Be sure to test
your wetland wit and write about wetlands before moving on to the next
exploration. By exploring our wonderful wetlands, we hope that
you will appreciate where you live and encourage others to
help protect our precious natural resources. Let’s begin our
exploration now!
Youth Education
Southwest Florida Water Management District
The purpose of this publication is to educate students and parents about wetlands
and to encourage the protection of our water resources. A supplementary teacher’s
guide is available on request. Please order online at WaterMatters.org/publications
or contact the Communications Department of the Southwest Florida Water
Management District at (352) 796-7211 or 1-800-423-1476 (FL only), ext. 4757.
4
Exploration 2
Searching Our Saltwater Wetlands
As you learned earlier, wetlands can be divided into two main categories:
saltwater wetlands and freshwater wetlands. During this exploration, you will
learn about saltwater wetlands found along the edges of estuaries such as Tampa
Bay, Charlotte Harbor and Sarasota Bay. Estuaries are areas where fresh water
from inland sources mixes with salt water from the Gulf of Mexico or the ocean.
These wetlands are known as saltwater wetlands because they contain salt. The
two kinds of saltwater wetlands that we are going to examine more closely are
coastal saltwater marshes and mangrove swamps. Let’s find out more about
them now.
Writing About
Wetlands Wit Wetlands
1. Name several young animals 1. Describe how mangroves are
that may be found in the able to survive in a salty
nursery environment of an environment.
estuary. 2. List several reasons why
2. Which kind of mangrove is mangroves are important for
known as the walking tree? keeping saltwater forested
Why? wetlands healthy.
6
Exploration 3
Finding Out About
Our Freshwater Wetlands
Now that you have searched the saltwater wetlands, let’s find out about
freshwater wetlands. These wetlands are known as freshwater wetlands because
they contain fresh water. The freshwater, forested wetlands we will explore
include cypress swamps, hardwood swamps and hydric hammocks. In addition,
we will look at freshwater marshes and wet prairies, which are examples
of freshwater, nonforested wetlands. Let’s begin our exploration of these
freshwater wetlands now.
Cypress Swamps
Cypress swamps are known for
their mysterious appearance. Bald
and pond cypress trees with moss
drapes and gnarled roots may be
found throughout the quiet, dark
waters of this eerie swamp. The poorly
drained soil consists of finely textured
organic materials. While exploring
this area, you will be surrounded by
many cypress knees or stumps of dead
cypress trees. Epiphytes, such as
spanish moss and other air plants, can
be found here. Other trees that live
here are the black gum and red maple.
The American alligator makes this
wetland its home, along with raccoons,
river otters, frogs, Florida snapping
turtles, snakes and fish. The cypress
swamps are usually flooded for four to
eight months each year.
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Hardwood Swamps Hydric Hammocks
Hardwood swamps are forested Hydric hammocks are located
wetlands filled with all shapes and between river swamps and at the edge
sizes of hardwood trees. Standing of flatwoods. These forested wetlands
near or in the glassy tea-colored are filled with a mixture of broad-leaf
waters are black gum, red maple, evergreens and deciduous trees
water ash, laurel oak, water elm, that shed their leaves every year.
cypress and willow trees. These The area may remind you of a lush
swamps often border rivers, streams tropical paradise because it is filled
and lakes. It is a place where you can with cabbage palms, laurel oaks and
observe wood ducks drifting along on climbing vines. In addition to blue
the water and gray squirrels chattering violets, longspur and green fly orchids,
in the trees. Hardwood swamps many other beautiful flowers grow
are submerged or saturated part of wild here. Animals such as the gray
the year due to seasonal periods of fox, striped skunk and bobcat may be
flooding. seen roaming the area. Although these
areas are seldom flooded, the soils are
saturated most of the year.
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Freshwater Marshes Wet Prairies
A freshwater marsh is a wetland Wet prairies are large fields
area that resembles a pond, except of grasses, sedges, rushes and
that it is covered with water plants and wildflowers. They are also known as
other kinds of vegetation. Although wet meadows. These areas are flooded
you won’t see any trees here, you for short periods of time and usually
will find many woody plants, grasses, stay saturated the rest of the year.
sedges, rushes and other soft- Garter snakes, frogs, ducks, rabbits and
stemmed plants. The marsh provides deer are just a few of the animals you
food, protection and breeding sites might see on a visit to this area.
for many animals, including alligators,
turtles, various water birds, otters and
raccoons. Writing About
Wetlands
1. Cypress swamps are often
described as mysterious or
scary. Imagine that you are
Wetlands Wit exploring a cypress swamp.
Write a paragraph that
1. Which swamp is often found
describes your thoughts and
along rivers, streams and
feelings about being there.
lakes?
2. Compare the features of a wet
2. Which wetland looks
prairie and a cypress swamp.
like a pond?
Make a list of the things you
would include in a picture of
each wetland.
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Exploration 4
Discovering What Wetlands Do
Until recently, most people thought of wetlands as dirty, smelly, unpleasant
places filled with mosquitoes, pests and scary creatures. Wetlands used to
be called wastelands and were drained so the land could be used for homes,
businesses and farming. Now we realize that they play a very important role
in helping to keep our environment clean and healthy. Fortunately for us, laws
have been enacted to save and protect our precious wetlands.
Study the following list to discover what wetlands do for us in southwest
Florida. When you have finished, try to think of additional ways wetlands are
important to us and help our environment.
Wetlands help improve our water that can reduce damage from storm
quality. surges.
Wetlands are natural cleaning Wetlands help store water.
systems. They have often been called
“nature’s kidneys” because they help Wetlands are important storage
clean out the pollutants that move areas that collect rainwater. Some of
through them. They purify and filter the water soaks into the ground to refill
contaminants from agricultural the aquifer. Some is gradually released
activities and from water that drains either back to the atmosphere or to
or flows off the surface of the land. other surface bodies of water.
The plants in a wetland help clean
water by trapping solids and absorbing Wetlands help support a variety of
them in their roots. Bacteria and other fish, waterfowl and other wildlife.
microorganisms improve the quality of Wetlands are habitat for many
water by eating and digesting organic animals and birds that cannot nest,
wastes. breed or live anywhere else. Did you
know that 22 species of wading birds
Wetlands help protect us from
depend on Florida’s wetlands? It is
floods.
also a fact that nearly two-thirds of
Wetlands act as giant sponges. our marine fish and shellfish rely on
They can absorb heavy rainfall saltwater wetlands for their survival.
and release the water very White-tailed deer, bobcats, gray foxes,
slowly so that businesses and black bears, panthers and other large
housing developments mammals use wetlands for their
located nearby won’t habitat. Other animals that can be
be flooded. Wetlands observed in wetlands include raccoons,
located along the coast skunks and river otters.
serve as natural barriers
10
Wetlands help serve as nursery Wetlands help provide recreational
areas. activities.
Wetlands are nursery areas that Many recreational activities take
provide food and shelter for a wide place in and around wetlands. People
variety of fish, birds, reptiles and use wetlands for outdoor experiences
mammals. Nutrients deposited in such as hiking, fishing, boating, bird
wetlands are the building blocks watching and photography.
of food chains that are part of
the complex network of feeding Wetlands provide habitat for
relationships in an environment. threatened and endangered
species.
Wetlands help stabilize our coastal
Wetlands provide habitat crucial
shorelines.
to the survival of nearly one-third of
Wetlands located along the coast the plant and animal species included
provide a barrier and buffer zone on a federal list of endangered
between salt water and fresh water. species. Endangered species that
These vegetation-filled brackish water depend on Florida’s wetlands to
areas help prevent coastal erosion by survive include the wood stork,
trapping and stabilizing sediments black bear, limpkins, sandhill crane,
through their roots. southern bald eagle, osprey, little blue
heron, orchid and pleat-leaf.
Writing About
Wetlands
1. Select two ways that
wetlands help our
environment and explain
why they are important.
2. Create a list of five true or
Wetlands Wit false statements about what
wetlands do, then give the
1. Why are wetlands often quiz to a classmate.
called nature’s kidneys?
2. Name two endangered
species that depend
on wetlands for their
survival.
11
Exploring Our Wonderful Wetlands
Wetland Metaphors
Many functions of wetlands can be explored through the use of metaphors. A metaphor
is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase meaning one kind of object or idea is used
in place of another to create a comparison between them. In other words, a metaphor
represents a concept or idea through another concept or idea. Saying “Paul’s brain is a
powerful computer” is using a metaphor. Paul’s brain isn’t really a computer, but it is being
compared to a computer to make the point that he is very smart. Other examples include
“Books are windows of thought” or “The lion is king of the jungle.”
Directions: Examine the following pictures. How could each be a metaphor for a
wetland? Write your answers in the spaces provided.
Example
CRADLE
SPONGE
FILTER
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3
WATER TOWER
PLAYGROUND
BED
ZOO
PRODUCTIVE GARDEN
BARRIER
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Exploration 5
Becoming Protectors of Our
Wetlands
It is very unfortunate that we have already lost many of our valuable wetland
resources, which can never be replaced. In the United States, between the 1780s
and mid-1980s, more than 50 percent of wetlands became dry, were altered or
destroyed. Of the 215 million acres of wetlands, only about 100 million acres
remain.
Most wetlands in Florida were lost before the 1970s. As people moved into
the state, wetlands were drained and filled with dirt. These areas were developed
for homes, businesses, agriculture, mining and other uses. As the wetlands
disappeared, so did the water. The existence of wildlife declined. The amount
and quality of fresh water also began to decrease. Fortunately, people began to
change their attitudes about the value of wetlands. Florida has become a leader
in reducing loss of wetlands, and the state Legislature has decided that the best
way to protect our precious wetlands is to acquire land or to regulate its use.
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Major
Wetland Areas
1989 Wetlands
15
Here are several ways that you can help
protect our wetlands:
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Wetlands Activities
Complete the crossword puzzle using the information in this
booklet, including the vocabulary on page 20.
Across
C 1. Wading _____ can often be found in a wetland.
R 5. A _____ is a group of plants or creatures with similar features.
6. A wetland that is often partially covered by water and filled with
O trees is called a _____.
9. A bird that swims or wades in water is called a _____.
S
12. A wetland that is usually characterized by grasses and
S similar plants is called a _____.
1 2
W 3 4
O 5
R 6 7 8
D
9 10 11
12
Down
2. An area that is slightly wet or moist is _____.
3. Areas that lie between upland regions and aquatic systems that flood for
certain periods of time during the year are called _____.
4. Something that is covered or saturated with water is _____.
7. _____ are animals and birds that live in the wild.
8. A _____ is a tropical tree that grows along flooded coastal banks.
10. An _____ is a coastal area where fresh water mixes with salt water.
11. Many kinds of freshwater ____ may be found in a healthy, freshwater wetland.
17
U N S C R A M B L E
Unscramble the letters to form real words.
pawms taryseu
tewnadl shmar
govnemar
H I D D E N
M E S S A G E
Break the code and learn an important message.
9 20 19 21 16 20 15 1 12 12
15 6 21 19 20 15
16 18 15 20 5 3 20 15 21 18
.
23 5 20 12 1 14 4 19
1 = A 5 = E 9 = I 13 = M 17 = Q 21 = U 25 = Y
2 = B 6 = F 10 = J 14 = N 18 = R 22 = V 26 = Z
3 = C 7 = G 11 = K 15 = O 19 = S 23 = W
4 = D 8 = H 12 = L 16 = P 20 = T 24 = X
18
W O R D S E A R C H
H P R A I R I E S E N V I R T
A C R S R P B P T N A T U R E
M R H E M M S R U V E S W A S
A E T M A G W A A I M N A T T
L A L L I G A T O R A B T O U
W T I G A T M R P O A T A Y A
L U W E T E P K L N D C T A R
H R V O V C E W F M B W I R Y
A E H R O O O T R E E A B O K
M S F E W F R G I N I T A V O
M O L L R E K G R T H J H E P
O R E E N O M U N X N T N Z N
C H T B R W N X U A C R E A T
K A A M W Q Z G A T M G Z S R
W E T L A N D S M A H S R A M
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Wetlands Vocabulary
aquatic: growing or living in water marsh: a wetland usually characterized
by grasses and similar plants
deciduous: falling off seasonally (as
leaves) reservoir: a place for storing a fluid
Web Sites
You can surf the Internet to learn even more about wetlands. Below is a list of
interesting web sites that give information, present educational activities and
provide links to other web sites.
Southwest Florida Water Management District
WaterMatters.org/kids
Give Water a Hand
uwex.edu/erc/gwah
U.S. Geological Survey
ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/
20
Answer Key
Exploration 1 Exploration 3
Wetlands Wit Wetlands Wit
1. Four major rivers begin in the 1. Hardwood swamps often border
Green Swamp. They are the streams, rivers and lakes.
Hillsborough, Peace, Withlacoochee
2. The wetland that resembles a pond
and Ocklawaha rivers.
is a freshwater marsh.
2. Most wetland experts look for
these characteristics:
Exploration 4
a. The area is flooded or has
saturated soils for certain
Wetlands Wit
periods of time during the year. 1. Wetlands are often called nature’s
b. The area contains special plants kidneys because of their ability to
and trees that are commonly help clean out pollutants that move
found in wetland areas and through the system.
thrive in waterlogged soil or 2. Endangered species that depend on
water. Florida’s wetlands to survive include
c. The area has unique soils that the wood stork, black bear,
are different from soils found in limpkins, sandhill crane, southern
other areas. bald eagle, osprey, little blue heron,
orchid and pleat-leaf.
Exploration 2
Exploration 5
Wetlands Wit
Wetlands Wit
1. Many young animals may be found
in estuaries, including pelicans, 1. In Florida, most of the wetlands
roseate spoonbills, and a variety of were lost before the 1970s.
fish, shrimp and crabs. 2. There are approximately
2. The red mangrove is known as the 100 million acres of
walking tree because its roots remaining
stick out well above the surface. wetlands in the
United States.
21
Answer Key
Crossword
Across Down
1. Birds 2. Damp 10. Estuary
5. Species 3. Wetlands 11. Fish
6. Swamp 4. Wet
9. Waterfowl 7. Wildlife
12. Marsh 8. Mangrove
Unscramble
swamp
wetland
mangrove
estuary
marsh
Hidden Message
It’s up to all of us to protect our wetlands.
Word Search H P R A I R I E S E N V I R T
A C R S R P B P T N A T U R E
M R H E M M S R U V E S W A S
A E T M A G W A A I M N A T T
L A L L I G A T O R A B T O U
W T I G A T M R P O A T A Y A
L U W E T E P K L N D C T A R
H R V O V C E W F M B W I R Y
A E H R O O O T R E E A B O K
M S F E W F R G I N I T A V O
M O L L R E K G R T H J H E P
O R E E N O M U N X N T N Z N
C H T B R W N X U A C R E A T
K A A M W Q Z G A T M G Z S R
W E T L A N D S M A H S R A M
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Exploring Our Wonderful Wetlands includes a student booklet, a teacher’s guide and a set of full-color activity cards.
To order more copies of this set or other free water resources education materials,
visit our web site at WaterMatters.org/publications or call 1-800-423-1476, ext. 4757.
VISAY0015 04-08
!
SHinto
SPL A
Water
t Di s t r i c t
Resources
Education
men
ge
So
na
th a
u
we
st F rM
lor ida Wate