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ECONOMICS
Wetlands are economically important ecosystems, but assigning a dollar
value to their worth is difficult. The fiscal importance of wetlands comes
from the protection they provide to valuable farm and urban lands against
erosion; the role they play in reducing the damaging effects of floods
and drought conditions; and improvements they make to water quality and
navigation due to their role as sediment and pollution filters. The financial
gain of these functions is immense but diverse and can fluctuate annually
(Illinois Department of Natural Resources 1997).
In
addition to reducing the costs incurred by humans from natural
processes, wetlands are an important source of income. Non-consumptive
wildlife use in the form of birding, wildlife photography, hiking,
etc., is a multi-million dollar industry in Illinois that contributes
to revenues from retail sales and income taxes and maintains thousand
of jobs. Consumptive wildlife uses tied very closely to wetlands,
such as hunting and fishing, contribute additional millions annually
to Illinois economy (Illinois Department of Natural Resources
1997).
[
Introduction | Biological
Functions
| Threatened & Endangered Species |
Hydrological Functions | Water
Quality | Ground Water Recharge | Terrestrial
Functions | Aesthetics & Recreation
| Economics | Conclusion
]
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