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Numerous
people value wetlands for the recreational opportunities they
provide. Some of the major recreational activities conduced in and
around wetlands include waterfowl hunting, bird watching (also
called birding), fishing, hiking, boating or canoeing, and general
nature observation. In particular, it seems that kids—both the young
and the young at heart—have a propensity to want to frolic and play
in wetlands.
 See
a family enjoying a wetland.
One of the largest and most avid
groups of people using wetlands is waterfowl hunters. There are an
estimated 3 million migratory bird hunters in the U.S. A survey of
waterfowl hunters conducted in fall 2005 by the National Flyway
Council and the Wildlife Management Institute found that 58% of
respondents considered duck hunting one of their most important
recreational activities and 14% indicated it was their most
important recreational activity. This importance is supported by the
number of days duck hunters spent in the field with 10% of hunters
spending more than 30 days per year hunting, 17% spending 21 to 30
days, 30% spending 11 to 20 days, and 43% spending fewer than 10
days. Altogether, migratory bird hunters spend almost 29 million
days hunting annually.
Wildlife viewing, particularly birding, is enjoyed by numerous
people. Indeed, an estimated 50 million people spend over $10
billion annually viewing and photographing wetland dependent
wildlife. As previously described, wetlands are essential nurseries
for many fish species. More than 35 million people in the U.S.
participate in recreational fishing and spend more than $37 billion
annually. The overall recreational use of wetlands is difficult to
measure but obviously fairly substantial.
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