Protecting American Wetlands

Air Date:
Heard On The Larry Meiller Show

Do you own wetlands? Many people do without realizing it, according to Larry Meiller’s guest. She’ll share information and advice for protecting wetlands as we celebrate American Wetlands Month.

Featured in this Show

  • Advocate: Majority Of Wisconsin Wetlands Are Privately Owned

    Of Wisconsin’s remaining wetlands, the majority are located on private property and many landowners are unaware of it, according to a local wetlands advocate.

    Katie Beilfuss, outreach programs director at Wisconsin Wetlands Association, said that this lack of awareness means that caring for these wetlands aren’t just the government’s responsibility.

    “Many of us think about, ‘Oh, we have wetlands (in Wisconsin). The (state Department of Natural Resources) owns those or they’re in the national forests or those are all taken care of,’ but 75 percent of the ones we have left in Wisconsin are privately owned,” Beilfuss said.

    Property owners owning wetlands have a special responsibility to observe and care for them, she said.

    “The most important thing if you’re a wetland landowner is to get to know your wetland in as many ways as you can,” Beilfuss advised. “Spend time in it, visit it at different times of the year, walk through it at different times in the year.”

    Beilfuss suggested keeping a little notebook like famous ecologist and author Aldo Leopold used to have.

    “Record the first redwing blackbird to come in or the first blooming of this favorite wildflower that you have or the first duck hatch,” she said. “Record those from year to year and you can see things over time.”

Episode Credits

  • Larry Meiller Host
  • Cynthia Schuster Producer
  • Katie Beilfuss Guest