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To answer both questions, let's turn to a couple factoids. First, consider that according to the Audubon, 200 years ago, there were 215 million acres of wetlands in the USA. Now, there are less than 100 million. And though the amount we still lose every year has lowered dramatically—from nearly 500,000 acres a year in the '70s and 120,000 a year in the '90s to the current level of 60,000 a year, according to the EPA —the wetlands are still consistently vanishing. Their eradication has been largely due to the human cultivation of agriculture and development, though the introduction of non-native animal life to the wetlands has contributed too.
So why should we care? Well, besides being a habitat for a diverse range of plants and animals, they play a significant role in mitigating disasters—they can even save lives. This is because wetlands are crucial to absorbing and slowing floodwaters, making them exceptionally important in states prone to severe flooding like Louisiana and Florida. They also balance other ecosystems by absorbing excess nutrients and pollutants before they reach rivers or lakes. Finally, the (destruction of wetlands could release a 'carbon bomb') –wetlands contain 20 percent of the world's carbon supply. Destroying them sends that hurtling into our fragile climate.
Wetlands are beautiful, crucial environments—if you're interested in finding out what you can do to help prevent their further degradation and elimination, check out the EPA's piece on ?Wetlands protection and learn how to work towards wetlands restoration.
More on the Wetlands:
Restoring Farmland to Wetlands
Elevated Wetlands : Art and Function Combined
Mexico Boosts Wetlands Inventory to 19.8 Million Acres
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