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water lily add colorful flowers. Others, such as duck potato, are appetizing foods for waterfowl. Shrubs such as buttonbush and trees such as pond cypress and lob- lolly bay round out the landscape. What are some areas suitable for wetland building? Virtually all exist- ing or proposed bodies of water, including ponds, lakes, rivers, can- als, strip-mines, and retention basins. The possibilities are often right before us—we simply need to recognize them. Urban areas, in particular, would do well to consider wetland crea- tion. Concrete, asphalt, and steel spread inexorably away from down- town, isolating green areas and gobbling up potential park sites. Di- versity among existing parks looms ever.more importantly. What better solution is there to adding diversity to a downtown lake than taking a portion of its edge and building an underwater shelf planted with the right species? Young fish, taking advantage of the new cover, will attract birds and larger fish. People will enjoy the rare wildness of it. In some cases, wetlands Hurst be created. If your project requires construction within an existing wet- land, regulatory agencies may re- quire you to create wetlands equal to or greater in area than that dis- placed. When wetlands are de- stroved, for example, the South Florida Water Management District requires a replacement of as much as two -and -a -half acres for each acre displaced. Protecting the original, however, is still the preferred alternative. The state of Floridahas gotten into the act on a large scale with its plan to restore the Kissimmee River. Once a wild river, winding a slow course southward from Lake Kissimmee to Lake Okeechobee, the river was channelized during the 1960s to speed drainage for farming. The oxbows were bypas- sed and much adjacent marshland subsequently dried up. Now the state has launched an ambitious plan to reclaim the 98 -mile river. Initial experiments have proven successful beyond expectations; forcing the river back through its original channel brought the ox- bow marshes surging back to life, with birds returning to nest, and na- tive vegetation reclaiming ground from upland weeds. With the cleansing mechanisms of the river restored, Lake Okeechobee's water quality will improve. With a cleaner Lake Okeechobee, the Everglades to the south will be nourished. The state is currently buying land in the floodplain as part of its restoration program. Our nation has long ignored the value of wetlands, too often seeing them as a hindrance to productive use of land. Most Americans reject this notion, vet we still lose 500,000 acres annually—this in a counts, which h'us lost .feu ll., half the wetlands it once had. With this enormous loss has gone the inestimable loss of wildlife habitat. This past year, as many states suf- fered in the searing grip of the worst drought in decades, we saw the problems compounding. While pic- tures, of parched farmland domin- ated the news, vast acreages of waterfowl habitat dried up. Duck and geese populations dropped far below their usual numbers. Game officials adjusted bag limits down- ward, thus making the loss to rec- reation tangible and real. No parks official wants the lands in his or her charge to be less than they should be. Wetland construc- tion presents an opportunity to get optimum use from a park while at the same time reinvesting in nature. It preserves a wonderful heritage for future generations and is vital to a healthy national environment. Continued on page 67 I N C THE PLACE TO SHOP FOR PROMOTIONAL GIVE-AWAYS • EASTER • FOURTH OF JULY • BACK TO SCHOOL •HALLOWEEN • CHRISTMAS member • TABLE SKIRTS (PLASTIC) SAA member Reliable service since 1980! Imprinting available on most items! Call us toll free for a free catalog. ZANY PRODUCTIONS, INC. P.O. BOX 4548 WINTER PARK, FLORIDA 32793 800/443-0080 OR 407/678-7778 - ATTE,7VTION MANUFACTURERS 111 Ever thought of selling? The people of Bench Manufactur- ing have been manufacturing and selling quality site furnishings for thirty years. We are interested in purchasing for cash, a few select companies that relate to our field. If you have questions, or would like to discuss the sale of your company, please contact: John E. Hill, Chairman BENCH MANUFACTURING CQ P.O. Box 158 56 Winthrop Street Concord MA 01742 Tel: (508) 371-3080 Fax: (508) 369-4472 All responses will be assured the strictest confidentiality. P&R/,MAY 1989/51