Wetlands are important elements of a watershed because they serve as the
vital link between land and water resources. Wetlands play an integral role in the ecology of a watershed. Their shallow waters, nutrients, and primary productivity are ideal for organisms that form the base of the food web upon which many species of wildlife depend. Wetland habitat provides the necessary food, water and shelter for mammals and migrating birds. Other animals, such as amphibians and reptiles, collectively known as herpetofauna, or “herps,”
depend on wetlands for all or part of their life cycle, meaning that their survival is directly linked to the presence and condition of wetlands.