Thank you to Jacob Straub, Kennedy-Grohne Chair in Waterfowl and Wetlands Conservation and Assistant Professor at UW-Stevens Point, for contributing this piece.

In Wisconsin, many (but not all) isolated wetlands are small and ephemeral (meaning they might dry out in some parts of the year). Thanks in part to a federal court ruling from 2001, “isolated” wetlands hold a distinct yet important legal definition and this ruling left many of them unprotected. Because of this, isolated wetlands are too often perceived as remote and unimportant. However, isolated, small, and ephemeral should never be confused with having no value or considered useless; especially for wildlife like waterfowl. Quite the opposite!

Want to learn more about isolated wetlands? Follow the links at the end of this article.