Protecting Illinois wetlands

Just because land gets wet, for example from a rainstorm, doesn’t, by itself, make someplace a wetland. Wetlands are special places. 

Wetlands are home to Blanding’s turtles. With their distinctive yellow chin and throat, these turtles can live for more than 70 years. They are year-round residents of Illinois’ wetlands, spending the winter months buried in mud at the bottom of a bog, marsh or other body of water. But unlike some other aquatic turtles, Blanding’s turtles may travel over a mile on land in search of suitable habitat. Unfortunately, due to the loss of marsh habitat they are currently endangered in Illinois.

Some of the wildlife that rely on our wetlands only spend part of the year here. Migrating birds traveling along the Mississippi flyway will stay in Illinois wetlands during the summer months, or use our wetlands to rest and refuel on their long journey. Great blue herons will catch fish while wading in shallow waters. The state threatened least bittern can be found in cattail marshes. Wood ducks make their nests in hollow tree cavities in swamps and other forested wetlands. Even small songbirds like the marsh wren use wetlands for habitat.

Bird songs aren’t the only sounds of Illinois’ wetlands. The outsized call of small male Illinois chorus frogs is part of the soundscape of springtime in our wetlands. These amphibious residents are a state threatened species and use our wetland landscapes to breed. Healthy wetlands, including those that are only seasonally flooded, are critical to their lifecycle.

These places are special. Our wetlands are not just used as habitat for wildlife, but also help protect clean water by filtering pollutants and help us respond to climate change as a natural form of carbon sequestration and flood mitigation. Decades of misunderstanding and undervaluing has led to gaps in wetlands protections. Illinois has already lost around 90% of our historic wetlands due to sprawl and development. Our environment can’t afford to lose any more.

Unfortunately, many of our wetlands are currently unprotected. Without a change, developers could pave over wetlands and leave us with the consequences of that loss. We have an opportunity right now to help protect our state’s wetlands so that wildlife can thrive and our clean water is protected.

What makes wetlands important

Wetlands come in many different forms: marshes, prairie potholes, forested swamps and fens to name a few. These form over time when a piece of ground is wet long enough and regularly enough that it contains plant, insect, microorganism and animal species that have evolved for wet conditions, forever changing the chemistry of the soil. All wetlands have three characteristics: 

1. the presence of water for all or part of the year, 
2. hydrophytic plants that are adapted to specific water conditions, and 
3. soils that have specific properties due to being repeatedly or consistently waterlogged or flooded for at least two weeks during growing seasons called hydric soils. 

The nature of wetlands results in great volumes of food for animal species, supporting a vibrant food web. When we have healthy wetlands, wildlife like great blue herons and the endangered spotted turtles have the potential to thrive. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencies, “Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems in the world, comparable to rain forests and coral reefs.” This contributes to the rich biodiversity of the Great Lakes region.

Healthy wetlands also act like the kidneys of the ecosystem, filtering out pollution and helping to support clean water in our rivers and lakes like Lake Michigan where millions get their drinking water.

Wetlands are important carbon sinks with the ability to sequester large amounts of carbon. They also help to mitigate flooding during wet and extreme weather events because they are able to store large quantities of water in their soils. With wetter storms, the ability for water to be absorbed by wetlands can help reduce the risks with floods and the associated damage to homes, infrastructure and further soil erosion. Wetlands can provide some of the natural means of responding to climate change.

Without strong protections of our wetlands, we put the health of nearly every aspect of our environment at risk. We have a choice in Illinois: We can protect what remains of these special places or we can let development destroy what we have left and lose the immense value they bring to our wildlife, our water and us.

A comprehensive wetland protection program for Illinois

Other states have policies that protect the vulnerable wetlands in their landscapes. A comprehensive wetland protection program is possible in Illinois and would fill the current gap in protection by directing the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to create a permitting program to avoid, minimize and mitigate wetlands losses.

In 2024, the state legislature considered a bill that would create that program, but despite support from dozens of legislators and nearly 50 environmental and community groups, the bill did not see a vote on the floor. The Wetlands Protection Act has been reintroduced in 2025 by Representative Anna Moeller and Senator Laura Ellman and is gaining support for action.

Governor Pritzker has the opportunity to take the mantle and be a leader for wildlife, a leader for clean water and a leader for our climate. As an inaugural member of the America the Beautiful Freshwater Challenge, we know the state of Illinois and the Governor’s office is committed to the goals of stream and wetland protection, but more action is needed. A clear signal from the Governor would help ensure that his agencies and the legislature move quickly to restore protections for our wetlands.

Speaking for the wetlands

We have the opportunity to restore safeguards to our wetlands, but wetlands and wetland wildlife can’t advocate for themselves. Environment Illinois has been co-leading a coalition of environmental and community organizations to advocate for restored protections of Illinois’ wetlands now, but we’re not stopping there. 

We need our wetlands not just today and tomorrow, but for the long term. A healthy environment needs healthy wetlands, and healthy wetlands need support from everyday Illinoisans. Through public education, organizing and advocacy we will continue to share stories of the value of our wonderful wetlands, dispel the myths and harness the support that we know exists for protecting these special places.