Alberta lays out new wetlands rules after months of ‘divisive’ consultation Industry pushed for drainage; environmental groups discouraged by plan Joel Dryden - CBC News - Dec 15, 2025 Over half of North America's waterfowl nest in 'Prairie potholes,’ small patches of wetland that dot the Prairies of Canada and the U.S. (Charlie Riedel/The Associated Press)

The benefits of Alberta's wetlands have long been recognized by the province. Think of them as “sponges” on the landscape, the province wrote in a fact sheet in 2014, storing and slowly releasing water and reducing the damaging effects of flooding and drought. “They act as nature's ‘kidneys’ by purifying runoff and helping to keep our lakes and rivers clean,” the report reads. “In addition to recharging groundwater and providing diverse habitats for plants and animals, they offer a host of other benefits to people who live near and far. “No other landscape component provides all of these functions and benefits.” Alberta's wetlands are estimated to host some 400 species of plants, according to the province. Some of those are listed as rare, threatened or endangered.