Tag:natural=wetland

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Public-images-osm logo.svg natural = wetland
Cepkeliu marsh.jpg
Description
A natural area subject to inundation or with waterlogged ground Show/edit corresponding data item.
Rendering in OSM Carto
Rendering-area-natural-marsh-osmarender.png
Group: natural
Used on these elements
should not be used on nodesshould not be used on waysmay be used on areas (and multipolygon relations)should not be used on relations (except multipolygon relations)
Useful combination
See also
Status: approvedPage for proposal

A wetland is a land area that is permanently or seasonally saturated with moisture. They may be saturated with water for a season or so, but some types of inland wetlands may not be submerged at all. 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.

See wetland on Wikipedia

How to map

Add natural=wetland to an areaarea.

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

Possible tagging mistakes

If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!