A support group and a lab in the St. Louis area provide resources for people with the allergy to mammal products — and evidence that its effects can be reversed.
Jordan Lillemon waits as his black Labrador retriever, Kettle, returns with a bird on Lake Christina in Ashby, Minn. As one story in "Down the Drain" explores, fees paid by hunters have helped save tens of thousands of acres of marshes. Credit: Anthony Soufflé, Star Tribune
As our team reported on wetlands for the "Down the Drain" series, we learned about their utility, resilience, recreational import, and, yes, beauty. In fact, we liked looking at wetlands so much that we decided to launch a photo contest to see wetlands through our readers' eyes, too.
You can submit to three categories: wildlife, landscape and people/recreation. Winners could receive up to $200. The deadline is May 5, 2025. Find more details in the contest rules. We can't wait to see your best wetlands photos!
An aerial view of the Wax Lake Delta on the coast of Louisiana. The delta is one of the few places along Louisiana’s coast that is building land instead of losing it. Elise Plunk/Louisiana Illuminator
Last week, we shared some of the stories from the eight-part series that explained the problems wetlands face. This week, we're looking at solutions.
Desk reporter Delaney Dryfoos of The Lens takes it from here:
Desk reporter Delaney Dryfoos, The Lens NOLA
"From Wisconsin to Louisiana, experts herald wetlands as a crucial component of the Mississippi River’s health. This is a big part of what we wanted to explore in 'Down the Drain.' One of our commitments at the Ag & Water Desk is to include solutions in our reporting, and this project is no exception.
There are some exciting things happening on that front, from environmental non-profits to fees for conservation.
First up, the Wax Lake Delta offers an invaluable 'living laboratory' demonstrating how river sediments and nutrients can build land. Before the introduction of strict flood-control measures, the Mississippi River built the vast deltaic landscape of southern Louisiana. Formed by accident from a flood control channel, the now-growing delta at the end of the Atchafalaya River provides an opportunity for scientists to study wetlands formation. These insights into wetlands dynamics are critical, as world wetland loss and degradation have accelerated over the past three decades.
Ivan Vargas-Lopez and Sophia Lingo walk along wooden platforms in Wax Lake Delta as they work on research. Elise Plunk/Louisiana Illuminator
Across the Mississippi River Basin, birdwatchers and hunters alike value wetlands as crucial habitats for ducks. Nearly all the wetlands in Minnesota’s prairie region were destroyed to create farmland. Duck hunters saved the remaining few stretches of habitat. Ducks Unlimited, a nonprofit organization, has saved millions of acres of wetlands through revenue from a federal stamp purchase program. But in the upper Midwest, duck hunting has fallen in popularity as a pastime. Some environmental advocates worry about the loss of duck stamp revenue on top of federal changes to wetlands protections. In the South, duck hunting has become ever more popular, leading to the sale of more duck stamps but depleting local bird populations.
And then in Wisconsin, wetlands have won bipartisan support as a solution to flooding. Over the previous 10 years, the Marengo River watershed has suffered three catastrophic floods. Last April, the Republican-controlled legislature approved $2 million for the grant program to be administered by Wisconsin Emergency Management. Eleven communities were funded during the first year, touching most corners of the state. Some experts believe that taxpayers will see the economic value of wetlands as they are restored and reduce future flood damage costs.
Tracy Hames, executive director of the Wisconsin Wetlands Association, walks along a stretch of Black Earth Creek in rural Dane County. The creek jumped its banks during a historic flood in 2018, causing millions of dollars in damage, and the county is now restoring wetlands and reconnecting the creek to its floodplain to alleviate future disasters. Credit: Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Across the Mississippi River Basin, wetlands have shaped the land, water and wildlife. In the delta that so many call home, wetlands are a part of the cultural history. The promotion of nature-based flood control and continued support of the duck stamp program can boost wetlands even as federal restrictions are rolled back. For now, wetlands protections are in the hands of the states."
