Protecting wetlands

Wetland ecosystems provide significant benefits to fish, wildlife, and the economy. Approximately 60 percent of Tennessee’s wetlands have been destroyed due to historic mismanagement of these critical habitats. Tennessee Wildlife Federation works to restore wetland habitats statewide.

Why Wetlands?

60%

of Tennessee’s wetlands have been destroyed.

Flood

control

Wetlands act as natural sponges that trap and slowly release flood waters.

20%

of rare species use wetlands at some point in their life.

Yellow-crowned night heron walking through wetland

Wetlands provide critical habitat for numerous wildlife and plant species.

Bottomland hardwood forests are the most common type of wetlands in Tennessee and are abundant in the floodplains of streams and rivers.

Wetland ecosystems are often undervalued and underappreciated despite providing significant economic and ecological benefits. They help reduce damage from flooding, maintain water quality, replenish groundwater, store carbon, and provide important wildlife habitat. Wetlands also filter out sediment and chemicals from surface-water runoff.

Approximately one million acres of Tennessee’s wetlands have been destroyed due to historic land uses, impoundment, sedimentation, and urbanization. Restoring degraded wetlands and protecting existing wetlands—and the wildlife and plants that use them—is critical.