All those areas where the land and the water meet are called wetlands.
They’re lands that are wet. Clever, huh?
Yes, those grassy, muggy expanses along the coast are wetlands but
so are your neighborhood creeks (dried up though they may be at the
moment). Ever heard of a playa lake? In the high plains, these “prairie
potholes,” as they’re sometimes called, collect shallow
water and provide critical, winter habitat for countless ducks, herons
and other waterfowl. A plain old beach is even a kind of a wetland but,
for most, the term “wetlands” brings to mind tall grasses,
still waters and good ol’, gloppy MUD.
Grassy wetlands, like marshes, can protect us from floods and I’ve
been in Texas long enough to know that when the rains finally come,
there’s a good chance we’re going straight from drought
to deluge. Those spongy marsh soils can soak up lots of that excess
water and then slowly release it when it’s dry again.
What’s more, the firmly rooted grasses are kind of like a line
of kids playing “red rover.” They take the impact of the
waves and rushing waters and help reduce the damage inland.
As the water runts through a grassy wetland, the water slows down.
Particles of soil and other stuff swept along by the current begin to
settle out. This reduces erosion, keeping lots of soil from running
out to sea. Some cities even use wetlands to help clean up the sludge
that comes out of wastewater treatment plants!
Every living thing needs water and life abounds in wetlands. “Bzzzzzz.
. . slap!” Yeah, there are mosquitoes of course. “Swish!
Splash!” But there could also be fish growing fat as they feed
on all those insects. “Whoosh! Honk!” There are likely birds
feasting on those big fish. Wow, cool, you could be there, taking in
the spectacle, making memories that last a lifetime.
Wetlands provide a great opportunity to paddle, fish and otherwise
commune with the plethora of wildlife around us. Let me suggest two
places with inspiring stories that you should know about and visit.
First of all, Mitchell Lake Audubon Center is the result of decades
of effort by Mitchell Lake Wetlands Society and the San Antonio Audubon
Society. These dedicated folks envisioned an urban wildlife refuge and
birding paradise where others saw (and smelled) only a useless, sewage-contaminated
eyesore. The site has many opportunities for the public to visit, including
a major family event on October 14. Please visit them online at www.tx.audubon.org/centers/mitchell/about.htm
for opportunities to visit this model of renewal and restoration for
yourself!
Boerne’s Cibolo Nature Center has a similar story. Carolyn Chipman
Evans and a small army of volunteers transformed eighty acres along
a stretch of Cibolo Creek from an illegal dumping ground to a peaceful,
Hill Country paradise. There you can stroll along the clear, shallow
waters (actually, I like to stroll in the clear, shallow waters), take
the boardwalk through the wetland they’ve restored and enjoy a
regular series of outdoor music, storytelling, workshops and other events.
Check them out at http://www.cibolo.org/ and plan a visit.
See ya out there! And, uh, I’d opt for the stinky, old sneakers
over the patent leather dress shoes. . .
Lucas Miller
www.lucasmiller.net
"Outstanding Achievement in Songwriting" in the 2005 Great
American Song
Contest and honorable mention in the Mountain Stage Newsong Contest
for
"Metamorphosis"
Top 20 finalist in 2005 Unisong International Songwriting Contest for
"(A Snake's Not) Slimy"
Three-time Parents' Choice Award Winner
NAPPA Honors for "I Was A Super-duper Pupa!"
