Nearly half the people questioned in a survey in Wexford said they would "do nothing" if they saw someone dumping material in wetland.
Attitudes may change , however, as a result of a project to be launched today, UN International Biodiversity Day.
The Wexford Wetlands Project, organised by Wexford County Council and Coastwatch Ireland, aims to increase awareness of the value and functions of wetlands. An inventory of wetlands in the county, the first of its kind here , will be created.
The project began in April when students at St Mary's Secondary School in New Ross and Gorey Community School, as well as members of the public, filled out almost 1,000 questionnaires. While 87 per cent could think of at least one function of wetlands, with wildlife habitat topping the list, only 5 per cent were aware of their flood control function.
Participants in the survey were asked what they would do if they saw someone filling a wetland with building rubble, litter, rubbish, earth or soil. For one or more of these scenarios, 44 per cent said they would "do nothing" while 29 per cent said they would contact the authorities.
Ms Karin Dubsky, the co-ordinator of Coastwatch Ireland, said Wexford had a "wealth of wetlands". "Wetland loss in both area and function is suspected to be widespread, but there is no overview. A chief contributor to ongoing loss and damage is lack of awareness of wetland functions and values," she said.
The project would begin to tackle these issues and deliver "measurable improvements" over the next five months.
The Department of the Environment, Duchas and the Heritage Council are supporting the project, which has a website at www.wexfordwetlands.org.