Wetlands are among the most productive and biologically diverse
habitats on earth. They are the kidneys of the landscape, filtering our
water of pollutants and converting them to less harmful substances.
They control flooding by giving water a place to go and slowing down
runoff and allowing water to absorb back into the soil. They recharge
local water tables and aquifers. Sadly, they have been viewed more as a
nuisance or an impediment to progress in our country's brief history,
and roughly half of all wetlands in the U.S. have been destroyed.
Nebraska's eastern saline wetlands have also suffered extensive losses.
However, there is hope as many people now recognize the importance of
these wetlands and are taking actions toward Success in the Salt Marsh.
A Biologically Unique Landscape
26 NEBRASKAland • AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2018
White-tailed deer gather and leave their marks in the salt-encrusted soils of a saline
wetland near Dakota Springs, a saline spring source that pulses with open water even in
the depths of winter.
