The U.S. Supreme Court’s Sackett decision may have demolished many existing wetland protections, but the state of Colorado won’t let that stop them.
According to the Center for Biological Diversity, Jared Polis, the state’s governor, signed a law that effectively reinstates the protections that used to be provided for on the federal level.
The U.S. Geological Survey says that wetlands are important because they provide a habitat for plants and animals that don’t live elsewhere. Depending on the location and specific makeup of a wetland, it can also help prevent erosion, improve water quality, and offer protection from flooding.
In Colorado, wetlands are usually seasonal and, even when at their maximum, cover only about 3% of the state’s land. However, they are vital for 26% of the state’s amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles, the Center for Biological Diversity reveals. Other species live better when there are wetlands or need them for part of their lifecycle.
Alli Henderson, one of the state’s directors at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement, “As climate change worsens the Colorado River megadrought, failing to restore protections for our irreplaceable wetlands and seasonal streams would have been a death sentence for a lot of wetland-dependent wildlife.”
The Royal Society says that having a large number of species supports ensuring everyone has enough air to breathe and food to eat. In addition, in Colorado specifically, Henderson says, “Snow-fed streams, fens and wet meadows … also protect our communities’ drinking water and act as natural firebreaks” — according to the organization.
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Thus, supporting wetlands is good for all of us, and Colorado is taking the lead to ensure we thrive. The state can join others in maintaining biodiversity, like those who are fighting for endangered species, trying to understand why some plants die while others thrive, and supporting animals with dwindling populations.
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