Canadian wetlands account for approximately one quarter of the world's total wetlands and is ranked with the highest surface area of wetlands on the Ramsar Conventions List of Wetlands of International Importance. Canada holds 37 designated areas of International Importance which equates to approximately 13,086,767 hectares of land.
Wetlands play an important role in Canadian in ecosystem functioning as they protect coastal areas from erosion; regulate water from large floods; prevent toxic sediments and substances from getting into groundwater; provide habitats for various species; participate and contribute to the water cycle; and serve as a natural storage base for carbon. It is wetlands that provide productive habitats with high species diversity and nutrient cycling in comparison to many other ecosystems. In addition to ecological functions, wetlands contribute to socio-economic frameworks in Canada such as hunting, trapping and fishing; tourism and recreation; domestic peat energy source and resource for peat; provide materials for forest products; and account for some natural heritage areas.
History The first national wetland policy of Canada is The Federal Policy on Wetland Conservation which was established in 1991. It came to fruition after Environment Canada developed a statement on wetlands issues in Canada in 1986 and early 1987. The management and protection of wetlands in Canada was deemed a significant land use issue by the Federal-Provincial Committee on Land Use (FPCLU) which stemmed from Canada's involvement with the Ramsar Convention. Key proposals from the convention included the establishment of wetland conservation policies to address legislative needs, improve knowledge and awareness of wetland functions, and to have continuous monitoring of wetlands in Canada. In April 1990, a national policy conference was held termed the "Sustaining Wetlands Forum" which included Federal government, non-government, and industry groups such as Ducks Unlimited Canada, Wildlife Habitat Canada, and the Round Table on the Environment and the Economy. This forum provoked a series of recommendations, including the incorporation of policies within all jurisdictions in Canada to better conserve wetlands by 1991. In addition, national consultations were conducted during summer 1990 which found widespread public support for incorporating wetlands into Canadian conservations needs and the necessity to reclaim and protect wetlands within Canada.
Wetlands in Canadian Ecozones
Wetlands can be found in Canada's broad ranges of ecozones spanning across the provinces and territories. In Canada, there is approximately 1.29 million km2 of wetlands which in turn covers 13% of Canada's terrestrial area. Canadian wetlands are predominantly located within the Boreal Shield which accounts for 25% of the existing wetland habitats. Other localities with high percentages of wetland occurrence include the Hudson Plains (21%) and Boreal Plains (18%). Specifically, it is the Hudson Plains terrestrial habitats that are mainly constituted of wetlands. The major wetlands in Canada extend from central Labrador to south of Hudson Bay in addition to northwest of the Mackenzie River delta.
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Canadian Wetland Classification System (CWCS)
The Canadian Wetland Classification System (CWCS) is based on wetland functions and interrelationships between abiotic and biotic constituents of wetland habitats. These interrelationships determine the resulting implications and characteristics of hydrology, climate, vegetation interactions, and water quality which are important considerations for deciding how to manage and conserve different wetland environments.The CWCS has a hierarchical structure which is composed of wetland class, wetland form, and wetland type. The broadest category is the wetland class which recognizes the genetic origin of each specific wetland ecosystem. This consists of bogs, fens, swamps, marshes, and shallow waters. These are determined by examining abiotic parameters including hydrologic regime, mineral material, water chemistry, and the interaction of these functions with biota to form vegetation cover or peat. Wetland forms are determined by assessing wetland ecosystems surface morphology and pattern, water quality, relationship to open water, and the underlying mineral soil morphology. Lastly, wetland types are determined by investigating the wetland ecosystems vegetation physiognomy.
Wetland loss
Since the onset of colonization the total wetland area in Canada has decreased by 15%. This equates to approximately 20 million hectares or one seventh of Canada's total wetland areas. In 1991, the Minister of Environment estimated 65% of Atlantic coastal salt marshes have been eradicated; 80 to 98% of wetlands adjacent or completely within urban centres have been destroyed; 68% of wetlands in southern Ontario have been lost; and 70% of Pacific estuary marshes have been degraded. This exhibits the necessity for implementing and establishing more wetland policies and frameworks within the Canadian political framework.
Policies by province The Federal Policy on Wetland Conservation is applied on federal lands which constitutes approximately 29% of Canada's wetlands. As such, the majority of wetlands within Canada are not protected under this policy which subsequently lies on the provincial or territorial policies and guidelines for protection. Most provinces and territories have implemented a wetland management program but not all have wetland conservations policies in place to protect wetlands. This is due in part to The Federal Policy on Wetland Conservation being depicted as a partnership between provincial and territorial governments in combination with private sections. The policies, frameworks, guidelines, and strategies for wetland management and protection vary nationally in Canada.
Issues
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