Rhode Island’s most underappreciated natural resource may be in your own backyard

Joseph A. Loffredo
Posted 6/9/15

Many Rhode Islanders know that spring has arrived upon hearing the piercing chorus of spring peepers outside their windows on a warm night. If you are one of those people that are kept up all night …

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Rhode Island’s most underappreciated natural resource may be in your own backyard

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Many Rhode Islanders know that spring has arrived upon hearing the piercing chorus of spring peepers outside their windows on a warm night. If you are one of those people that are kept up all night listening to the peepers’ relentless song, then chances are your own backyard may be home to Rhode Island’s most underappreciated yet important habitats – wetlands.

Wetlands are everywhere. According to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM), wetlands comprise about 16 percent of the state’s total area. There are also around 4,100 acres of saltwater wetlands, also referred to as salt marshes, near Rhode Island’s coast. Aesthetically, wetlands may not possess the grandeur of a snow-capped mountain, and may seem like nothing more than mud, water, and some grasses, but it’s what you cannot see directly that makes wetlands so invaluable.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), wetlands are the second most productive and biologically diverse habitats on the planet, after tropical rainforests. They provide important habitat for a variety of wildlife and are also vital in maintaining the health of ecosystems in the surrounding landscape. Keeping wetlands clean and healthy helps to improve not only the quality of life of the organisms that inhabit them, but also the quality of life for us humans as well. The complex biological, chemical, and physical processes that are naturally carried out in the environment that benefit humans are collectively known as ecosystem services. Robert Costanza, an esteemed ecological economist at the Australian National University, estimates that the world’s ecosystems collectively carry out nearly $125 trillion worth of services annually – nearly twice the value of the global GDP. Keep in mind that the environment performs these services for free! 

Here in the Ocean State, our wetlands carry out some incredibly important services, most notably flood protection. Wetlands act like natural sponges by absorbing excess water from rain and snowmelt and slowly releasing it. One acre of wetland can store about one million gallons of water, and trees and other wetland vegetation can slow the speed of floodwaters. Residents of Cranston, Johnston, and Warwick certainly know a thing or two about flooding, and according to DEM, excessive flooding in these highly urbanized areas especially is due to the removal and degradation of nearly 700 acres of wetlands in the Pocasset River Watershed since 1939. Salt marshes protect Rhode Island’s coastal communities by diminishing the effects of coastal flooding from hurricanes and other strong storms. The Coastal Resources Management Council (CMRC) says that salt marshes provide nearly $2,930 per acre worth of protection annually.

Wetlands also play integral roles in maintaining water quality, and are often referred to as the “kidneys of the landscape” for their unparalleled ability in filtering out excess nutrients and pollutants from runoff before arriving in larger bodies of water like the Scituate Reservoir, which provides drinking water for nearly half the state. Wetlands are also vital in protecting the water quality of Narragansett Bay. This is important because the Bay contributes billions of dollars to Rhode Island’s economy through tourism, recreation, and commercial fishing activities. Saltwater and freshwater fish and shellfish use wetlands as nurseries for juveniles because of the calmer waters. CRMC estimates that the economic value of salt marshes related to recreation and commercial fishing is $6,417 per acre annually.

Considering the economic benefits of a healthy, functional environment, it seems illogical that humans still continue to pollute and degrade it. Over the past 200 years, Rhode Island has lost thirty seven percent of its inland wetlands and nearly half of its salt marshes; mainly from human interference. Climate change is making matters even worse as sea level rise drowns marshes and changing temperatures alter environmental systems. Why are we letting these services be lost? Imagine the amount of money that could be saved and the number of lives that could be protected from flooding and storms. There are many things you yourself can do to help preserve our wetlands. First and foremost, educate others and spread the word about the importance of wetlands to human health and safety, the Rhode Island economy, and environmental health. There is strength in numbers when it comes to protecting our environment. You can also help by supporting local organizations like Save the Bay and the Nature Conservancy that are doing innovative work in restoring our wetlands. If we let go of our wetlands, we ultimately risk losing natural resources that are innate components of Rhode Island’s identity.

Joseph A. Loffredo, of Foster, is a student at the University of Rhode Island, majoring in environmental science and management.

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