N.L. needs a wetlands inventory

Congratulations to St. John’s city council in bringing the plight of wetlands in the city and the need to protect and preserve them to the forefront.

Many research papers have documented the unique natural characteristics of wetlands and the benefits they provide in improving water quality, preserving wildlife habitats, storing floodwaters and maintaining surface water flow during dry periods.

Do we fully realize the key role wetlands play in the value of protecting all life, values

that no other ecosystem possesses?

Wetlands filter out and absorb harmful bacteria from freshwater and they are capable of storing approximately one to one and a half million gallons of flood waters per acre.

These are just two of the many remarkable benefits which wetlands offer.

Because their ecological and socio-economic benefits are not directly measurable, wetlands are, unfortunately, greatly undervalued and are thereby minimized in the face of market value.

Pope Francis says in his “Laudato si”: “Greater investment needs to be made in research aimed at understanding more fully the functioning of ecosystems and adequately analyzing the different variables associated with any significant modification of the environment.”

Here in Newfoundland and Labrador, we continually hear of wetlands being altered from their natural state to accommodate industrial development and other benefits that will increase profit over the value of life.

This is often done without sufficient consideration being given to the detrimental effects on the quality and available quantity of downstream water.

In addition, there is the potential for structural damage from flood waters that could result in the destruction of roads, bridges and culverts, as well as other harm caused by resulting erosion.

It is further regrettable that Newfoundland and Labrador is the only province in Canada that does not have a wetland inventory system.

This is all the more reason why we strongly support the endeavours of St. John’s city council in the protection and care of wetlands within the Galway development and to add these to the list of protected wetlands, action which will greatly assist in furthering the protection of the environment and especially this valuable ecosystem for future generations.