Freshwater wetlands include rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, marshes, seasonally flooded meadows, and riparian areas. Their role in providing breeding habitat for waterbirds, songbirds, amphibians, and spawning salmon is complemented by their ability to filter pollutants and assist in flood control.

Threats and challenges

Over the last 100+ years, habitat loss and degradation has occurred due to draining and filling, dredging, channel clearing and alignment, creation of impoundments, pollution, erosion and run-off from adjacent land uses.

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