One spooky episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender features a mysterious, magical swamp. After the swamp lures our heroes into its trees, they get attacked by vines and separated. Wandering alone through the dense, dark wood, each character begins to have strange visions.
This portrayal of a wetland as a creepy or even haunted place is pretty common in movies and TV shows. But in real life, wetlands aren’t places to be feared. They’re vital ecosystems that need our protection. American Wetlands Month, which happens each May, highlights why they’re important.
Wetlands are, by definition, lands that are wet. They don’t have to be flooded year-round. Some are only seasonally soaked. But wetlands generally boast enough water that they can be home to both land and aquatic species of microbes, plants and animals.
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These ecos...
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