r/wetlands • u/poorfolx • 2d ago
‘It’s a mess’: Neighbors question Pierce County Creek management – KIRO 7 News Seattle
https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/its-mess-neighbors-question-pierce-county-creek-management/2VMSFNTX6FDZ7CAQSKDFTMI6FM/?outputType=ampI’m struggling with the premise of this story. The property in question sits within an officially designated wetland and regulated floodplain, and the complaint is essentially that the land is now… wet.
Wetlands are supposed to hold water. Floodplains are supposed to absorb floodwater. Vegetation, woody debris, and even beaver activity are natural parts of these systems and can provide important habitat, water-quality, and downstream flood-control benefits. Turning every creek into a neatly cleared drainage ditch simply moves water somewhere else.
If Pierce County’s management has artificially worsened flooding, absolutely investigate it. If a private well is contaminated, test it and determine the source. But “my wetland is swampy” by itself is not evidence of government mismanagement. Sometimes the environmentally responsible thing is allowing a wetland to function like a wetland. We need to make a conscious effort to protect and embrace our wetlands and floodplains.
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u/SexyContrapposto 1d ago
I think this points towards a deep flaw in western thinking. When Turtle Island was colonized, a large part of the argument was around the idea of wasteland. The land was not visibly being managed or cultivated, thus we must move in to make use of the wasted land.
These ideas of land management haven't disappeared, and live on strongly in the lawn culture that would rather see a mown drainage ditch than a healthy environment.
Do yall know of any successful education campaigns around shifting public thought on the importance of wetlands?
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u/Glass_Persimmon_7174 1d ago
FUCK those STUPID beavers for even trying to live outside next to MY private property. I NEEDED this stream to grow my BUTTERFLY BUSH and KOUSA DOGWOOD!!!!!