Some like it Wet!

A freshwater marsh forms in an area which is regularly submerged as a result of seasonal variations in the water level. Marshes tend to be more rich in minerals and nutrients, so they have a richer variety of plant and animal life than bogs. Marsh plants absorb excess nutrients from groundwater, providing natural water purification and promoting the development of rich organic soil.
Marsh

Marshes are characterized by soft-stemmed plants. A typical marsh can include:

Marshes tend to moderate the effect of varying water levels and reduce flooding by absorbing water and then slowly releasing it. Also, marshes reduce erosion of stream banks and lakeshores by cushioning against water flow and binding soil together. Unfortunately, marshes have been steadily filled in or drained, in particular around the Great Lakes.

Prairie potholes are another kind of marsh. They provides homes for over half of North America's waterfowl. They also buffer flood waters and help purify ground water. Despite all this, they are also in decline.

If the intake of dead plant matter exceeds the rate at which this material decomposed or is recycled by the activity of animals such as muskrats, a marsh can become a wet meadow and so vanish due to natural causes.

Marshes I have Known

COOPER MARSH
developed by the Raisin Region Conservation Authority. Located in the Lake St. Francis area.
PRESQ'UILE MARSH BOARDWALK
in Presqu'ile Provincial Park
HILLMAN MARSH
near Point Pelée Ontario. Developed by the Essex Region Conservation Authority Bald eagles are resident here. An excellent place to visit during spring or fall migration.
ST. CLAIR NATIONAL WILDLIFE AREA
north of Point Pelée Ontario. 244 hectares (602 acres) of marshland adjacent to Lake St. Clair. An important stopover for thousands of ducks. Yellow-headed blackbirds breed here, as well as various marsh birds such as bitterns and rails. Located off the West Townline Road near the village of Prairie Siding Ontario.
COOTES PARADISE
a 250 hectare (625 acre) marsh in recovery. Much of the original loss was due to increased water levels in Lake Ontario, which has been kept artificially high for navigational purposes, and excessive nutrient inflow from sewage treatment facilities.

Marsh Links

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