Wetlands are the in-between places. Not quite land, not quite water. Marshes, swamps, bogs, and fens all qualify. The defining feature is saturation: the soil is flooded or waterlogged for at least part of the year. That waterlogged soil supports plants and animals found nowhere else.

For centuries, wetlands were seen as wastelands. People drained them for farmland, filled them for development, and used them as dumps. The United States lost more than half its original wetlands between 1780 and 1980. Only recently have we started to understand what was lost.

Why wetlands matter

• Filter pollutants from water passing through
• Absorb floodwater like a sponge
• Store carbon in peat and soil
• Provide habitat for birds, fish, amphibians, and insects
• Buffer coastlines against storms

Coastal wetlands took a beating during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Areas with intact marshes suffered less damage than areas where wetlands had been filled. That event changed how planners think about wetland restoration. These are not just wildlife refuges. They are infrastructure. Beavers build them. Cities are learning to rebuild them.