Michigan's wetlands are in trouble. A new study by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality reveals that over 40 percent, or 4.3 million acres, of Michigan's wetlands have vanished -- that's almost the size of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined! And they could be taking the Great Lakes with them since toxic algae blooms that jeopardize the Great Lakes are the result of wetland loss.
Wetlands are important to Michigan's environmental and economic (e.g. tourism and recreation) health. Environmentally-speaking, wetlands provide vital habitat for wildlife, particularly for threatened and endangered species. Their presence also helps fight pollution and reduces greenhouse gases.
Fortunately, there's still hope for Michigan's wetlands, in the form of wetland restoration. Please sign and share this petition urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to invest in wetland restoration in Michigan. The future of the Great Lakes depends on healthy wetlands.
Photo Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region
