Edmonds Marsh
Since the cattail is a plant, it wasn't really doing anything. It was only blowing in the wind. The cattail acts as a habitat for birds and small animals that call the marsh their home. So I'm sure they were keeping some animals sheltered.
While researching the cattail I found out that it grows extremely quickly and in some cases can even grow faster than fertilized corn. Some people view cattails as a nuisance but they actually play an important role in keeping ponds healthy. Such as filtering runoff from streams, and they also help keep shorelines from eroding.
The most interesting thing I learned on this field trip was how important marshes are to our watershed. I had no idea they had such an impact on the filtration of water. Before this field trip I wouldn't have cared if the marsh disappeared and was developed, but now after the learning the important role it has I would fight to keep it around. This field trip completely changed my perspective on marshes in the northwest.
Did the shrinking of the marsh have a drastic impact on the wildlife that called it home? Also did it have an impact on our watershed? What would happen if the Edmonds Marsh was completely developed?
I didn't know that cattails grow so fast, but now that I think about it, that probably makes sense considering there were so many of them in the marsh. I also did cattails for my picture, I found them pretty unpleasant to look at, but I guess they serve a pretty important purpose in the marsh, since water filtration is so important.
ReplyDelete