Unfortunately, wetlands were poorly understood until relatively recently, and extensive damage has already been done to these essential ecosystems.
By far the most famous wetlands in the United States, the Floridian Everglades are also one of the largest. In fact, the Everglades make up the third largest national park in the Lower 48.
Located in central California, about two hours south of Sacramento, the Merced National Wildlife Refuge is a breathtaking and diverse expanse of marshlands, grasslands, and waterways.
The Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge, which straddles the coastal border of Florida and Georgia, is one of the world's largest freshwater ecosystems and contains the largest blackwater swamp in America.
The Great Dismal Swamp is a massive and magnificent area in southern Virginia and North Carolina that boasts beautiful old-growth that surround Lake Drummond.
Even though Alaska isn't commonly associated with wetlands the way states like Georgia and North Carolina are, America's northernmost state is in fact home to 63% of the nation's wetlands.
Biscayne National Park lies off the coast of Florida, and consists of mostly water. It was established to protect the coral limestone reefs that lie beneath the surface and other coastal features.
Another popular stop for migrating birds following the Pacific Flyway is the Klamath Marsh, a federally designated wildlife refuge in the western state of Oregon.
South Carolina's Congaree National Park, which lies inside the much larger Congaree ecosystem, is the last remnants of a massive old-growth forest.