What are Wetlands?

Simply put, wetlands are “in-between” areas that have Native Wetland something of both dry uplands and open water environ- ments: they are neither “land” nor “water” - they are a transition zone. The hydrology of a wetland (how much List water it gets and how long it stays there) is the most im- Plant Name Scientific Name portant factor that determines its character. Because oxygen does not move very fast in water, water saturation Wet Prairie Wetland very quickly results in a soil conditions with very low oxy- Marsh Hay Cordgrass (Spartina patens) gen content. A lack of oxygen kills most . Hydro- phytic or wetland vegetation is the only kind of vegetation Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) that can survive in these conditions. Gamma Grass (Tripsacum dactyloides) Wetland scientists use wetland hydrology, hydrophytic Emergent Wetland vegetation, and hydric soils to help them determine Cutgrass (Zizaniopsis miliacea) whether a given area is a wetland and the kind of wetland W ETLAND Maidencane (Panicum hemitomon) it is. Bull tongue (Sagittaria lancifolia) RESTORATION Coastal Water Hissop (Bacopa monnieri) Why are Wetlands important? Thinscale Sedge (Carex hyalinolepis) AND EDUCATION Black Needlerush (Juncus roemerianus) There are many different kinds of wetlands and they all perform ecological functions, and produce certain goods Jamaica Sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense) and services that are valuable to humans, including: Grassy Arrowhead (Sagittaria graminea.) • Water quality Pickerel Weed (Pontederia cordata) • Nurseries Powdery Thalia (Thalia dealbata) (Canna glauca) • Flood buffers Swamp Lily (Crinum americanum) • Wildlife Habitat Southern Blue Iris (Iris virginica) • Erosion Control Square-stemmed • Recreation spikerush (Eleocharis quadrangulata) Spikerushes (Eleocharis spp.) Spider Lily (Hymenocallis liriosme)

Floating/Submerged Aquatic Floating Seedbox (Ludwigia pepliodes) Pondweed (Potamogeton sp.) Smartweed (Polygonum

Pickerel Weed Yellow Crowned Night Heron, a native wetland bird Picture by Milt Gray, Wetland Restoration Team member

Jamaica Sawgrass Wetland Program Manager: Marissa Sipocz AgriLife Extension Service Coastal Water Hissop, Copyright 2001, University 1250 Bay Area Blvd., Ste C, Houston, TX 77058 of www.urban-nature.org copyright 2001, University of Florida Phone: 281-218-6253; Fax: 281-218-6352 [email protected] Texas Coastal Watershed Program—Wetlands

W ETLAND RESTORATION within the urban East End of Houston, and involves the been the key force in the wetland restoration creation of wet- process, collecting The Texas Coastal Watershed Program (TCWP), a part land habitat as plants from the four of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service and Texas Sea part of a flood county region (Harris, control project. Galveston, Brazoria and This project dem- Chambers counties), onstrates a posi- and they assist in cur- tive and benefi- rent restoration projects cial alternative to like Buffalo Bend Park

traditional flood and Sheldon Lake State Austin High School Sheldon Lake SP, Phase I wetlands control projects. Park, Phase II and III. students collecting maidencane, Panicum TCWP has also completed 8.5 acres of freshwater wet- These volunteers have hemitomon lands at Sheldon Lake State Park. gained personal experience in the identification of wetlands and wetland vegetation. In addition, TCWP has worked closely with they have gained an understanding of the role several Texas Master Naturalist wetlands play in

Wetland Team Restoration Sites (Push Pin marks) chapters to develop the Wet- providing habitat land Restoration Team. This and improving wa- Grant, has been actively involved in wetland restora- team is trained in wetland plant ter quality. Stu- tion in Galveston Bay. TCWP, in partnership with identification, plant propagation dents as well as state, federal and local agencies, has worked to es- and maintenance and wetland other volunteer tablish freshwater wetlands in the Galveston Bay restoration techniques. The organizations re- Master Naturalists volunteers watershed. Our first major project includes the crea- Team is the primary force be- ceive presentations assembling pots for future plant sprigs. hind the restoration preparation and work. The Wetland about wetlands, Restoration Team has propagated over 29 native wet- wetland values, wetland restoration processes land plant species at a nursery established at NRG En- and local wetland restoration projects.

Aerial view of Mason Park created wetlands ergy’s EcoCenter (plant list on the back panel). tion of 3.5 acres of freshwater tidal marsh along Texas Coastal Watershed Program Brays Bayou at Mason Park. This project is part of W ETLAND EDUCATION Marissa Sipocz the Harris County Flood Control District’s larger Brays We have utilized the energy of local students and Texas Texas AgriLife Extension Service 1250 Bay Area Blvd., Ste C, Houston, TX 77058 Bayou Federal Flood Damage Reduction project. This Master Naturalist volunteers to stock and maintain our Phone: 281-218-6253; Fax: 281-218-6352 project is unique because the restoration site is deep native wetland plant nursery site. Volunteers have [email protected]