Introduction Wetlands are priceless ecosystems that occupy about 6% of the world's land surface (Fig.1). They comprise both land ecosystems that are strongly inclined by water, and aquatic ecosystems with special characteristics due to shallowness and proximity to land (www.iucn.org/themes/wani). Although various different classifications of wetlands exist, a useful approach is one provided by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. It divides wetlands into three main categories of wetland habitats: (1) marine/coastal wetlands; (2) inland wetlands; (3) man-made wetlands. Figure 1 shows the distribution of wetlands around the world. Status of wetlands in India was assessed by Anon (1990) and Garg et. al (1998). According to Garg (1998) nationwide wetland inventory carried out 7.6 million ha of wetland units in the country of which 4.0 million ha are coastal wetlands and 3.6 million ha are inland wetlands. The livelihoods of millions of people in India also depend on wetlands ecosystem. According to Wild Life Institute of India some 70-80% of individual fresh water marshes and lakes in the indo-gangetic plain have been lost in the past 50 years. Most of the world's civilizations have developed and flourished near wetlands. Wetlands of India, estimated to be 58.2 million hectares, are important repositories of aquatic biodiversity while Uttar Pradesh had approximately 1145178 hectares wetland area. Wetlands have accessible significant economic, ecological and cultural values. Some wetlands are exclusively used by people for food, fodder and building materials. Services provided by wetlands Wetland ecosystems are often undervalued. A small number of people become conscious the range of products derived from freshwater habitats like wetlands: food such as fish, rice and cranberries; peat for fuel and gardens; medicinal plants; poles for building materials; and grasses and reeds for making mats and baskets and thatching houses. These complex habitats act as giant sponges, Wetlands : A Matter of Dollar Value Adesh Kumar and Amita Kanaujia* Biodiversity & Wildlife Conservation Lab, Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226007 *Email: kanaujia.amita@gmail.com 85 Fig. 1: Global Distribution of Wetlands