How to Create a Wetlands Habitat
- 1). Check with your local zoning or planning commission if you live in an urban area. Small wetlands will provide a protective habitat for many small creatures but if you plan to disturb drainage in a neighborhood, you may need a permit. Small wetlands are good places for school field trips to show children how the ecology of wetlands operates.
- 2). Look for low lying or perpetually soggy areas. If an area retains moisture for much of the year, it is a good choice for wetlands. Many natural wetlands are actually sinkholes; geographic portions of surface topography that slowly settle, forming depressions.
- 3). Remove the soil if you have no low-lying area to develop. Choose a spot where water will naturally drain into the wetlands. Unless you are creating a very small ornamental model of a wetland, you will need a natural source of water. This can be the edge of a pond or a seasonal waterway as long as moisture will be available for 9 months out of the year.
- 4). Check the depth of the proposed wetland. It should hold at least 1 foot of water in the deepest area to provide coverage for marine creatures and a consistent depth between 4 and 6 inches over the rest of the area.
- 5). Choose plants after securing a location and a water source. Plant the entire area with an indigenous grass that tolerates soggy conditions. Various reeds and cattails provide a good habitat for wetland creatures to make their homes. Add ferns of different heights and provide other aquatic plants that will survive the winters in your region.
- 6). After a large rain, the wetlands will fill with water and the micro-ecology of small creatures and plants will begin to thrive.
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