The 2 February each year is the World Wetlands Day, marking the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971.
Established to raise awareness about the value of wetlands for
humanity and the planet, WWD was celebrated for the first time in 1997
and has grown remarkably since then. Each year, government agencies,
non-governmental organizations, and groups of citizens at all levels of
the community have taken advantage of the opportunity to undertake
actions aimed at raising public awareness of wetland values and benefits
in general and the Ramsar Convention in particular.
What is meant by a Wetland?
A wetland is a place where the land is covered by water, either salt,
fresh or somewhere in between. Marshes and ponds, the edge of a lake or
ocean, the delta at the mouth of a river, low-lying areas that
frequently flood—all of these are wetlands.
The destruction of wetlands is a concern because they are some of the
most productive habitats on the planet. They often support high
concentrations of animals—including mammals, birds, fish and
invertebrates—and serve as nurseries for many of these species. Wetlands
also support the cultivation of rice, a staple in the diet of half the
world’s population. And they provide a range of ecosystem services that
benefit humanity, including water filtration, storm protection, flood
control and recreation.
Without wetlands, cities have to spend more money to treat water for their citizens, floods are more devastating to nearby communities, storm surges from hurricanes can penetrate farther inland, animals are displaced or die out, and food supplies are disrupted, along with livelihoods. WWF, governments and other organizations have pursued efforts to conserve and protect wetlands for more than 40 years through the Ramsar Convention, the only international treaty devoted to a single ecosystem type. More than 476,000 acres of wetland have been protected through this treaty, saving them and their services for future generations.
Why should wetlands be conserved?
Without wetlands, cities have to spend more money to treat water for their citizens, floods are more devastating to nearby communities, storm surges from hurricanes can penetrate farther inland, animals are displaced or die out, and food supplies are disrupted, along with livelihoods. WWF, governments and other organizations have pursued efforts to conserve and protect wetlands for more than 40 years through the Ramsar Convention, the only international treaty devoted to a single ecosystem type. More than 476,000 acres of wetland have been protected through this treaty, saving them and their services for future generations.
