You know what they say. Not everything is about money unless you don’t have any and then EVERYTHING is. Let’s hope this new study out of Ontario will turn some heads. Thank you Bob Kobres of Georgia for alerting me to it.

New economic model finds wetlands provide billions in filtration value

Southern Ontario wetlands provide $4.2 billion worth of sediment filtration and phosphorus removal services each year, keeping our drinking water sources clean and helping to mitigate harmful and nuisance algal blooms in our lakes and rivers.

A new study from the University of Waterloo uses economic valuation to help us understand the importance of Southern Ontario’s wetlands for water filtration—particularly as these sensitive ecosystems continue to be lost by conversion to agriculture or urban development.

“Wetlands naturally filter out phosphorus and sediments from water, but their value is often greatly overlooked,” said Tariq Aziz, who carried out the study during his Ph.D. and postdoctoral work in Waterloo’s Department of Earth and Environmental Science. “By calculating the economic value of wetland filtration and comparing it to the costs of engineered interventions, we hope to reinforce the importance of protecting our wetlands.” (more…)