Wetlands

We've seen quite a few wetlands since leaving the mountains and now is my chance to do a little blog entry on them.

As a country boy in Ontario, small bodies of water along road ditches, in farm fields, or in the wild were all around and teeming with plant, insect and animal life.

They're fascinating to visit oe study because of the diverse ecosystem (connected life) inside such a small - or large - area. Here we can see the chain of life from simple plants to large animals feeding off one another in an endless circle of life. Each life is connected to the other in the food chain. Today at Eagle Valley's wetland, I came across a reminder of life and death as I first spotted the tracks of a deer in the wetland mud and moments later discovered the remains of the deer's hoof and leg. And so, life eats life and creates new life in the wetland.

My favourite member of the northern wetland is the red-winged blackbird. This bird's distinctive and varied song combined with the flash of red feathers on black always reminds me of happy adventures in the natire as a boy. We need to preserve our wetlands and foster their diversity. I believe the environment is ourself.

-- Major Dude


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