Tag:natural=wetland

A wetland is a land area that is saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally. Primarily, the factor that distinguishes wetlands from other land forms or water bodies is the characteristic vegetation that is adapted to its unique soil conditions.

The water found in wetlands can be saltwater, freshwater, or brackish. Main wetland types include swamps, marshes, bogs and fens. Sub-types include mangrove, carr, pocosin, and varzea.

Wetlands are also typically found at the fringes of rivers, lakes or along the coastline.

How to map

Use wetland=* to describe the type of wetland. Some examples:

• Extended subclassification tags for freshwater wetlands:
  • wetland=marsh - A wetland covered with herbaceous (non-woody) vegetation like grasses and ferns. For wetlands with tall herbaceous plants that are difficult to walk through, use wetland=reedbed.
  • wetland=reedbed - A flooded area dominated by tall non-woody plants (reeds, bulrushes) that has low visibility and is difficult to walk through.
  • wetland=wet_meadow - A semi-wet meadow that is saturated with water much of the year. Can be caused by poor drainage or receiving large amounts of rain water or melted snow.
  • wetland=bog - Peat-filled depressions that receive their water and nutrients from rainfall. They are frequently covered in shrubs rooted in the sphagnum moss and peat.
  • wetland=fen - Groundwater-fed, peat-forming wetlands covered by grasses, sedges, reeds, and wildflowers.
  • wetland=swamp - A flooded area of woody vegetation, such as trees or shrubs.
• Extended subclassification tags for saltwater wetlands:
  • wetland=tidalflat - An area flooded by tides, composed of bare mud, sand or similar sediments.
  • wetland=saltmarsh - A coastal marsh exposed to flood tides, therefore characterized by herbaceous particularly adapted to saline environments.
    • Note: Grid-like ditches/channels in these marshes should be tagged with waterway=ditch.
  • wetland=mangrove - A salt-tolerant forest, forming along tropical coasts. Similar to a swamp, but with seawater. Generally extends over the sea beyond the coastline.

Other useful generic tags:

• tidal=yes/no Indicates if the wetland is subject to temporary inundation based on the tide.
• managed=* indicates if the wetland is managed in any form.
• seasonal=* indicates if the wetland is seasonal.

See also

• landuse=salt_pond
• natural=mud
• National Wetlands Inventory

Possible tagging mistakes