University of Illinois Researchers Lead Charge in Preserving State's Vital Wetlands

Share and Follow

In Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, researchers at the University of Illinois are championing efforts to preserve the state’s precious wetlands. Their innovative approach not only aims to protect these vital ecosystems but also could potentially offer financial benefits to residents.

Historically, wetlands covered approximately eight million acres in Illinois, accounting for about 23% of the state’s land. Unfortunately, around 90% of these wetlands have since been drained. In response, Marin Skidmore from the University of Illinois’ College of ACES recently joined WCIA 3’s Will Simmons to discuss ongoing conservation efforts and the importance of safeguarding what remains.

Skidmore, an agricultural economist, is deeply involved in assessing policies like the wetland reserve program. Her work focuses on analyzing the impacts of these policies and attempting to quantify their benefits in monetary terms. A key objective of her research is to calculate the value of the government’s investment in wetlands and how it benefits the American public.

Often referred to as “nature’s kidneys,” wetlands play a crucial role in environmental health. Much like kidneys filter out unwanted substances from the human body, wetlands help cleanse surface water by filtering out nitrogen. This process facilitates the nitrogen cycle, transforming it into a harmless gas released into the atmosphere, thereby maintaining ecological balance.

She said in places like Illinois, we have nitrogen in many of our streams and rivers. When there is a wetland, they can trap that nitrogen and facilitate the nitrogen cycle, meaning the nitrogen is then gone from the water.

“This then benefits the local economies because our public drinking water systems are required to maintain nitrogen levels at a safe level,” Skidmore said. “And so, if we reduce the nitrogen in their source water, we actually cut down the water treatment costs for local utilities.”

Click here to read more about their research.