February 2 is World Wetlands Day. Wetlands today are a
threatened ecosystem due to a variety of reasons but chiefly
because of the increasing populations encroaching on them.
February 2 is World Wetlands Day. What’s the brouhaha about
wetlands? Why have a special day for it? Well, the fact of the
matter is that wetlands are important for the existence of
nature and people. Migratory birds, fish, amphibians, insects,
plants and trees survive on this ecosystem. Wetlands provide
food and water, control floods, stabilize shorelines, mitigate
climate change and are home to a wide range of biodiversity.
Plant life includes mangroves, water lilies, cattails, sedges,
tamarack, black spruce, cypress and more. Animal life includes
many different amphibians, reptiles, birds and furbearers.  * *
*  So what's all this fuss about wetlands? Vaguely you might
remember that wetlands is a kind of habitat, full of water, some
birds flying over it, some wading looking for fish, part of it
full of reeds. Beautiful you think, per