"Once perceived as vast wastelands, Iowa's shrinking wetlands only now are coming to be understood as the wonderlands they actually are, rich and delicate ecosystems crucial to preserving the balance of nature. The trend toward awareness in Iowa is reflected nationwide as the general public realizes wetland preservation is fundamental to maintaining a healthy environment. In 1790, the continental United States housed roughly 221 million acres of wetlands, but by 1970 over half had been damaged by natural threats or converted for agricultural, urban, or rural development. Wetlands were drained and filled to create farmland, advance urban development, and control the mosquito population.
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