Remote sensing methods are the most common way that is used to map wetlands and this allows for the gathering of up to date digital information to be acquired on an ongoing basis.  The land cover and land use as well as the actual wetlands areas can be monitored annually or even seasonally, as required.  With digital data, standardized collection procedures can be implemented and integrated with geographic information systems.  Large geographic areas can be monitored and then mapped with less costs and it takes less time when satellite images are used.  Previously, aerial photographs were used but they need interpreters to be able to extract the necessary information; remote sensing only needs to analyze the spectral characteristics of the data.  There are some limitations to getting images though.  It is hard to identify smaller wetlands within the landscape and resolutions need to be high in order to see the smaller details.  In the future, more recent and better geospatial data is needed to get better details.

Coastal wetlands have many functions.  When it comes to water qualities they act like efficient water filters and have been called “the kidneys of the coast.”  They are important breeding ground or nurseries for shellfish and other fish.  They are an essential habitat for not only fish but also for birds and other wildlife.  One of the major advantages is that they reduce the likelihood and the severity of flooding by acting like natural detention areas and they also reduce the erosion of shorelines by acting like buffers from surges and storms.  Finally, they provide areas with recreations through water activities like boating as well as bird watching, hunting and fishing.  The coast wetlands are a very important part of our environment so it is no wonder that people are fight to keep them active and in good condition and protecting them from over-development.

• Mosquito: They have four stages of development and spend the larval and pupal stage in the water.  They mate after they leave the aquatic stages and it is the female that looks for blood to find the protein that is needed for egg development.  The male mosquito feed on plant nectar but only lives a short time after mating.
• The Big Brown Bat: As the only flying mammals, this wetlands animal is nocturnal and usually flies after dusk.  This is not a large animal and has a head and body that is only about two and a half inches long but the wingspan is about 13 inches across.  This is a gentle animal that eats insects and help maintain the balance of nature.  It is also a very smart animal.
• Barred Owl: This may seem like a vulnerable animal but it is very skilled as a predator.  It has many variations in the way it vocalizes and it is not just the standard owl sounds that you will hear from this animal.  The Barred Owl prefers damp areas to live in like wooded swamps and moist forests.

Surface flow reed beds are one of the characteristics of constructed wetlands.  They have a horizontal flow of wastewater across the roots but are not used as often as they once were because it takes a large amount of land to purify the water and it is not as effective for purification in the winter.  Instead subsurface flow reed beds are sometimes used.  This is when the flow of wastewater happens between the roots of plants instead of at the water surface.  This tends to be more efficient and has less of an odor and it is easier to maintain in the winter.  Unfortunately, they do tend to clog more easily.  Vertical flow reed beds have the same advantages is subsurface flow reed beds, but they use a pump to divide water at the bottom and find sand to increase the bacteria counts.  The pumping is pulsed, which solves the clogging problem.