(a) flood and storm control by the hydrologic absorption and storage capacity of freshwater wetlands;

(b) wildlife habitat by providing breeding, nesting and feeding grounds and cover for many forms of wildlife, wildfowl and shorebirds, including migratory wildfowl and rare species such as the bald eagle and osprey;

(c) protection of subsurface water resources and provision for valuable watersheds and recharging ground water supplies;

(d) recreation by providing areas for hunting, fishing, boating, hiking, bird watching, photography, camping and other uses;

(e) pollution treatment by serving as biological and chemical oxidation basins;

(f) erosion control by serving as sedimentation areas and filtering basins, absorbing silt and organic matter and protecting channels and harbors;

(g) education and scientific research by providing readily accessible outdoor bio-physical laboratories, living classrooms and vast training and education resources; and

(h) open space and aesthetic appreciation by providing often the only remaining open areas along crowded river fronts and coastal Great Lakes regions; and

(i) sources of nutrients in freshwater food cycles and nursery grounds and sanctuaries for freshwater fish. 8. Regulation of freshwater wetlands, in accordance with the agricultural exemption established in title seven hereof, is consistent with the legitimate interests of farmers and other landowners to graze and water livestock, make reasonable use of water resources, harvest natural products of the wetlands, selectively cut timber and otherwise engage in the use of land for agricultural production.