It’s Always a Good Time to Celebrate Wetlands
Wetlands are some of the most fascinating – and misunderstood – features of our landscapes. While they may look like mucky, bug-filled ponds, they’re really vibrant ecosystems that play a big role in supporting nature and people.
From managing rainwater overflow, improving water quality or providing critical wildlife habitat, wetlands carry out important functions that support the health of the Credit River Watershed.
Each year on February 2, World Wetlands Day reminds us that wetlands play a vital role in keeping our watershed resilient.
Here are four ways wetlands support both nature and people in the Credit River Watershed:
1. Wetlands Support Wildlife Year-round, Not Just in Warm Weather
Wetlands provide important habitat throughout the year, including during winter when shelter and stable conditions are critical for wildlife survival.
Wetlands with deep water and soft sediments offer overwintering habitat for turtles, where water remains above freezing beneath the ice. Amphibians also rely on wetlands year-round. Salamanders, for example, spend the winter underground near wetland areas and can emerge very early in spring, sometimes while snow is still on the ground.
Across all seasons, wetlands continue to support birds, insects and other wildlife by providing shelter, food sources and connected land and water habitats. Protecting these ecosystems helps ensure wildlife can survive seasonal extremes and remain year-round.
2. Wetlands Act Like Natural Infrastructure
One of the most unusual roles of wetlands is how they naturally manage excess water in ways that built infrastructure often tries to replicate when wetlands are lost.
Wetlands naturally absorb, evaporate and store excess water during periods of heavy rainfall or snowmelt, then slowly release it over time. This process helps reduce flood risk downstream, protects riverbanks from erosion and eases pressure on stormwater systems.
As extreme weather events become more frequent, wetlands provide flexible, natural solutions that adapt to changing conditions. By protecting wetlands, our work supports natural water management systems that help keep both ecosystems and communities more resilient.
3. Wetlands Clean Water Naturally
Wetlands act as natural water filters. As water moves through a wetland, plants and soils slow its flow. This allows sediment, nutrients and pollutants to settle out before the water continues downstream.
This natural filtration improves water quality in nearby streams, rivers and lakes benefiting aquatic life and people who rely on clean water for recreation and drinking water sources. Unlike engineered systems, wetlands perform this function continuously, without energy inputs or maintenance.
Healthy wetlands are a key part of the watershed’s natural water-cleaning network, quietly working every day to keep waterways healthier.
4. Wetlands Support Climate Resilience and Human Well-being
Wetlands store carbon in their soils and vegetation, helping regulate the climate while stabilizing landscapes. At the same time, they provide peaceful spaces where people can slow down, observe wildlife and connect with nature.
Across the watershed we work to understand ecosystem health and improve wetlands. We do this by:
- Partnering with local municipalities to improve stream and wetland functions
- Conducting environmental monitoring
- Offer restoration services to help landowners care for wetlands, streams and ponds on their properties
- Steward wetlands in our conservation areas
These efforts help ensure wetlands remain resilient ecosystems and welcoming places for people to explore and enjoy.
Whether it’s a boardwalk walk, birdwatching or a quiet moment near the water, wetlands offer benefits that extend beyond ecology, supporting mental well-being and meaningful outdoor experiences.
Why These Unusual Benefits Matter
Wetlands may not always be the most visible parts of the landscape but their impact reaches far beyond their boundaries. By supporting wildlife year-round, managing water naturally, improving water quality and strengthening climate resilience, wetlands play a vital role in keeping the Credit River Watershed healthy.
With spring around the corner and the thaw of wetlands, take time to recognize their value. Protecting wetlands is a year-round commitment that helps ensure these remarkable ecosystems continue to support both nature and people now and into the future.
Visit a Wetland at a Credit Valley Park
Rattray Marsh
Rattray Marsh Conservation Area is recognized as a Provincially Significant Wetland, an Area of Natural and Scientific Interest and an Environmentally Significant Area. At Rattray Marsh, wetlands merge with mature forest, upland slopes and the unique shingle beach to form a rich mosaic of habitats that support hundreds of species of plants, birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.
Plan your visit to Rattray Marsh to explore its trails, observe its wildlife and experience the ecological richness that makes this conservation area one of the most significant along Lake Ontario’s shoreline.
Coming Soon: Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area
Soon you’ll be able to walk along raised wetlands trails at our newest conservation area, Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area, opening this spring. You’ll be able to see how we have built three new wetlands using over 76,320 plants and 42,200 trees and shrubs that are providing food and habitat for fish, birds and other wildlife.
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By Kimberley Laird, Associate, Marketing and Communications