In John Teal and Mildred Teal's book Life and Death of the Salt Marsh the importance of salt marshes are shown. He begins by describing the salt marshes of along the eastern coast of North America. they are ribbon of soft, salty wet lowlands along the coast that change greatly from high to low tide. it has a very high biodiversity from birds to crabs. he then goes goes on to say how they have been destroyed and polluted by encroaching human establishment. he then goes on with describing the wetlands. he says the ground is a mat of plant roots then mud then liquids. Dangers to wetlands are human in origin. We dredge, fill, build on and pollute it. The increased population along the coast is increasingly straining the marshes. If preserved the marshes could be of benefit to the growing population. to preserve me must accessible so people can appreciate them. some marshes will be destroyed but a federal level of planning could allow the best options. it will also need safeguards against industry trying to use the land. he concludes by comparing the undertaking of preserving the wetlands with what has already been done in national parks such as Yellowstone.
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