Habitat Protection

In some areas, more than 90 percent of our wetlands have been lost, affecting water quality and outdoor-based tourism.

The Great Lakes are more than water — they include the land that surrounds them, known as the Great Lakes drainage basin. The boundary for these lands is determined by where gravity sends everything from rainwater to groundwater to “drain.” Water flows into the Great Lakes from all the lands and waterways within the basin — a true balance between land and water. The choices we make in our communities about how we protect land resources within the Great Lakes basin affect the future of the lakes themselves.

The wetlands that help keep our lakes and rivers clean also help prevent floods and provide important breeding grounds for fishes, waterfowl and a host of other animals. Overdevelopment and careless land management are rapidly destroying wetlands, shorelines and other critical habitats vital to the health of the Great Lakes. More than two-thirds of Great Lakes fish species spawn in wetlands, and many rely on nearshore vegetation for food and shelter. When we lose this habitat, we lose more than places for our families to fish, boat and hike — we lose critical homes for area wildlife. Remember, your actions have consequences — make them positive.

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