Why Wetlands Are Important

Wetlands, or areas that are regularly or periodically saturated with water, are essential parts of the Grand Traverse Bay Watershed. A watershed is an area of land where water is channeled from streams, rivers, lakes, and groundwater towards a common outlet.

Wetlands play a critical role in flood control, reducing pollution and erosion, and supporting fish and other wildlife. Whether they’re connected to the watershed via groundwater or because of their location in a floodplain, wetlands are a place where water can rest and release sediment and other pollutants on its journey towards the bay.

Thanks to wetlands, Grand Traverse has some of the highest water quality of all of the Great Lakes’ bays.

SEEDS Phytoremediation Project at Historic Barns Park

The white tubes you see are protecting 1000 precious trees & shrubs which will:

Absorb chemicals and pollutants in stormwater, which improves soil and water quality. This is phytoremediation.
Improve air quality through reforestation.
Help prevent bully species from further invading park ecosystems.

These tubes will allow our tiny saplings to grow healthy and strong by inhibiting deer and other creatures from eating them during this important growth phase. This planting project is done in partnership with Conservation Resource Alliance’s Wild Roots Program through funding by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Sustain Our Great Lakes Program. It is part of a larger initiative of SEEDS to improve wetlands at Historic Barns Park and to provide education about the importance of wetlands in our region and across the Great Lakes.