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ResolutionsLCWR Global Concerns Committee

Volume 17, Number 2 July 2008

To Action

LCWR8808 Cameron StreetSilver Spring, MD 20910301-588-4955fax: 301-587-4575mlucey@lcwr.org

Tim KautzaScience and Environmental Education Specialist -- National Catholic Rural Life Conference

www.lcwr.org

EXPERIENCE

Resolutions to Action is an occasional publica-tion of the Global Concerns Committee of the

Leadership Conference of Women Religious(LCWR). Members of the committee are:Carol Descoteaux, CSC; Jacquelyn Doepker,OSF; Andrea Nenzel, CSJP; Joy Peterson,PBVM; Susan Schorsten, HM; KathleenStorms, SSND; and Marie Lucey, OSF, staff.Please address correspondence to:

Cherish Earths Wetlands

Sia Anaysis

Katrina. The word makes meshudder, makes my heart race infear and rage. I dont remember

a lot about the hurricane that day just fear, confusion, and hopelessness.After reaching safety through the loveand compassion of so many friends

and strangers, rage began to consumeme as I learned of the horrendous tollon human lives and Gods creation,some of which could have beenprevented. There are many questionswe hadnt seriously considered beforethen. I hope we do now.

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Pogie are famous and infamous. Theyare full of fine bones and they stink!Stink like money! my mother usedto say. Pogie (a.k.a. menhaden) make

up almost half of the commercialfisheries catch in the US. They growto adulthood protected in shallow,grass-filled coastal wetlands, feedingon plankton. Moving to open water,they fall prey to cod, bluefish, gulls,terns, and humans. My parents madetheir living from pogie Father fish-ing them, Mother processing theminto meal and oil; feed for poultry,livestock, and farmed-fish. I learned

early the value of pogie; more recently,the value of wetlands from which theycome.

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Remember the song of frogs or the out-bursts of mosquitoes from nearby wet-lands days after a heavy rain? A recentvisit to my old stomping grounds foundfrogs replaced by children and mosqui-

toes by water skiers. The wetlands thatbordered the river flowing through thisgrowing town have been replaced withlandfill for athletic fields and to improverecreation on the river. Amidst a down-pour, I return to my home downstream,a community where I still experiencecroaking frogs and mosquito bites. I amwelcomed by the floodwaters from myformer home.

Wetlands have been the founda-tion of coastal and riparianecosystems for millions of years.

They provide nutrients for producersand protective cover and breeding andnursery areas for many animals species.Most are either continuously submergedor intermittently inundated by seasonalflooding or daily/seasonal tides. Thedynamic and complex wetland environ-ments vary greatly with countless species

of plants and animals and high concen-trations of birds (especially waterfowl),mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish,and invertebrate species. Wetlands alsotend to exhibit high genetic diversitywithin species that increases a speciescapability to adapt overtime to changesin the environment. The diversity ofspecies and genetic diversity withinspecies make wetlands a virtual cradleof biodiversity.

Since the development of human settle-ments, wetlands have been recog-nized for their value in reducing localflooding and enhancing water quality.The trees, grasses, cattails,and spongysoils generally associated with uplandwetlands serve as natural flood control,

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slowing and temporarily storing storm-water. These wetlands also filter runoff,allowing sediment to settle out as thewater slows and trapping pollutantscarried with the runoff. The replace-ment of natural wetlands with humanlandscapes has increased localizedflooding downstream. Although there is

a movement to require land developersto adopt stormwater management prac-tices to lessen downstream flooding,this does little or nothing to restore therichness of natural wetland ecosystems.

Coastal wetlands buffer the impacts ofsurges of sea water caused by coastalstorms. These wetlands absorb waveenergy and dissipate water. Coastalwetlands have been filled or dredgedfor roads, recreational facilities, hous-ing, and other construction. Some are

being lost to open water due to chan-neling and subsidence induced by theextraction of oil and gas. Flow controldams to maintain river commerce andflood control trap sediment removingwhat, for over millions of years, was thesource of natural building material forcoastal wetlands. Sea-level rise attrib-uted to climate change in recent yearsis threatening still more wetland losses.Currently, more than half of the USpopulation lives in coastal counties with

continuing growth expected. This trendnot only puts increasing pressure oncoastal wetland ecosystems, but makesmore people, primarily poor people,vulnerable to harm from unbufferedocean storms.

At the time of European settlementthere were about 221 million acres ofwetlands in what is now the UnitedStates. Today, less than half that arearemains. Although the loss of coastalwetlands continues at the rate of 59,000

acres per year, the rate of loss is lessen-ing. Federal and state education andregulations governing the destruction ofwetlands are partly responsible, as arecommunity efforts to preserve existingcoastal wetlands and restore damagedones. Additional promise can be seenin the Water Resources DevelopmentAct enacted by Congress in November2007. Among other things, it authorizesthe Secretary of the Army to restore

wetlands and directs the secretary todevelop a comprehensive coastal areaplan for Louisiana which includes theprotection, conservation, and restora-tion of wetlands.

Since Pope John Paul II deliveredThe Ecological Crisis: A Common Re-sponsibility, in 1989, the Vatican and

US bishops draw attention to our moralresponsibility to examine how we livein harmony with Gods creation andwhat we pass on to future generations.

Our bishops tell us in Renewing the Earththat other species, ecosystems, and evendistinctive landscapes give glory toGod. The covenant given to Noah was a

promise to all the earth. Then God saidto Noah and to his sons with him, Asfor me, I am establishing my covenantwith you and your descendants afteryou, and with every living creaturethat is with you, the birds, the domesticanimals, and every animal of the earthwith you,. (Genesis 9:8-10) Clearlywetland ecosystems are to be cherished.

Our inattentiveness to seeing Godrevealed in creation, our lack of humil-ity to consider ourselves a part of

rather than apart from creation, and ourdisregard to our call to be co-creatorsin the continuing unfolding of creationleads to our current and historical abuseof Gods creation. Is it not enough foryou to feed on the good pasture, butyou must tread down with your feet therest of your pasture? When you drink ofclear water, must you foul the rest withyour feet? (Ezekiel 34:18)

Our God intends life to thrive on Earth.

And God said, Let the waters bringforth swarms of living creatures, .God blessed them, saying, Be fruit-ful and multiply and fill the waters inthe seas, and let birds multiply on theearth. (Genesis 1:20- 22)

we can either ignore the harm we seeand witness further damage, or we can takeup our responsibilities to the Creator andcreation with renewed courage and commit-ment. -- Renewing the Earth

Personal ActionPray in thanksgiving for Godsgood gifts of creation.Pray for the thousands of peoplesuffering from June floods in theMidwestBecome familiar with scripture andtradition about stewardship andcare of creation.Learn about local wetlands andcoastal areas and help to maintainthem.

AdvocacyNotify your congressional repre-sentatives when implementation ofthe Water Resources DevelopmentAct of 2007 is insufficient.Ask candidates for public officewhat they are prepared to do toprotect and restore wetlands.Encourage the use of wetlands tominimize stormwater runoff.

Action by Church or SchoolHelp homilists incorporate care ofcreation themes.Organize prayerful celebrationsof creation on special days such asSt. Francis of Assisi, October 4; St.Isidore, May 15; Earth Day, April22; resurrect Ember Days to thankGod for the gifts of creation.Suggest and help organize awetland appreciation day at yourparish.

Visit one of these web resources:Renewing the Earth, US Confer-ence of Catholic Bishops, (www.usccb.org/sdwp/ejp/bishopsstate-ment.shtml)National Wetlands ResearchCenter, United States GeologicalSurvey, (www.nwrc.usgs.gov/)Americas WETLAND: Campaignto Save Coastal Lousiana, (www.americaswetlandresources.com/)

http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/ejp/bishopsstatement.shtmlhttp://www.usccb.org/sdwp/ejp/bishopsstatement.shtmlhttp://www.usccb.org/sdwp/ejp/bishopsstatement.shtmlhttp://www.usccb.org/sdwp/ejp/bishopsstatement.shtmlhttp://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/http://www.americaswetlandresources.com/http://www.americaswetlandresources.com/http://www.americaswetlandresources.com/http://www.americaswetlandresources.com/http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/ejp/bishopsstatement.shtml