It has recently been found that many illegal businesses are operating on wetlands. Wetlands are natural ecosystems where land is covered with water or remains waterlogged either permanently or for part of the year. They are partly aquatic ecosystems and are among the most biologically diverse in the world. Wetlands provide habitats for many aquatic and semi-aquatic plants and animals.
Wetland plants help improve water quality by removing excess nutrients such as nitrates and phosphorus. Wetlands can contain fresh, brackish or saltwater and are classified based on plant types and water sources. They offer important benefits such as water purification, flood control, shoreline stabilisation, storm protection and carbon storage. Human activities like construction, oil and gas extraction, overgrazing and overfishing are causing serious damage to wetlands.
