Destroy the Wetlands and You Destroy Your Home

Marlo Spielman is a seventh-grader at MS839 and received an honorable mention.

NYC needs to stop development near the coast of Staten Island to preserve its wetlands because it will help keep the environment healthy and safe while also providing recreational opportunities for the community. Wetlands are areas of saturated land. Different types of wetlands have different kinds of plants and soil. Our Earth is precious. If we do not make a difference soon, this could mean a lot of trouble for all of us, economically and ecologically - which is why we need to start turning things around now.

Wetlands keep our environment clean and healthy, as well as prevent storms from deeply harming communities. A text by Irene Madrigal states that wetlands hold huge ecosystems, supporting over 325 species of birds, 315 species of plants, and 200 species of fish. This shows the amount our wetlands contribute to the environment and help keep our ecosystem alive. They are full of biodiversity, (a diverse group of plants and animals in an area), and without them, many animals would die out. The text continues talking about how wetlands help keep the city’s water clean by capturing rainwater and filtering it. The wetlands use their soil and vegetation to trap chemicals and heavy metals so it’s safer to drink (vegetation is a collective group of plants in a specific habitat). It’s very hard to believe that people who benefit every day from these wetlands are willing to get rid of them. Multiple communities have been deeply hurt by dirty or non-consumable water, and these wetlands can prevent these dangers. The text finally states that wetlands

help us during and after storms by draining floodwaters, which is incredibly helpful during the hurricane season. Not only have communities been harmed by unfiltered water, but also very dangerous, harsh weather. If we stop destroying these wetlands, there is hope for a decrease in the amount of damage these storms can do. With all these health and safety benefits wetlands bring us, how are we willing to just let them go?

However, you might be thinking, “but what about the benefits of this development? Wouldn’t opening up new businesses be good for the economy?” The land developer has the idea of opening up a new business in the area, a giant BJ’s Wholesale Club. It will be opening up soon - and although this is going to open up new job opportunities and will still be protecting 11 acres of wetlands, it’s not as great as it seems. Though job opportunities would be good for the economy, we are still sacrificing wetlands for these opportunities. Without these wetlands, there is a higher chance of storms causing damage to communities nearby, backfiring, hurting the economy rather than helping it. Even though they claim they are protecting 11 acres of wetlands, to build a BJ’s they are destroying 18 acres. We have already lost far too many of our wetlands. According to the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, “…since Europeans arrived, NYC has lost 85% of its salt marsh area and stream miles and 99% of its freshwater wetland habitat”. Considering how much wetlands help us, and how much we’ve already lost, we can’t afford to lose any more. We must preserve these wetlands. You may also be wondering - what are the fun parts of wetlands? Well, wetlands don’t only keep our Earth healthy but give us fun, recreational opportunities. They provide us with “…fishing, hunting, photography, and wildlife observation” (National Park Service). This shows us what wetlands can do for us in our everyday lives, big or small.

Now, think about what would happen without any of this. How it would affect animals, plants…and you. It is our responsibility to stop this development, and we should not stop fighting until we do so. Like I said before, our Earth is precious, and it would be horrible to live without these wetlands. They play a vital role in our lives, so treat wetlands like the precious gifts they are.