World Wetlands Day is celebrated each year internationally on 2 February. It marks the anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) in Ramsar, Iran, on 2 February 1971.
World Wetlands Day was first celebrated in 1997. Since then government agencies, non-government organizations, and community groups have celebrated World Wetlands Day by undertaking actions to raise public awareness of wetland values and benefits and promote the conservation and wise use of wetlands. These activities include seminars, nature walks, festivals, announcements of new Ramsar sites, newspaper articles, radio interviews, and wetland rehabilitation.
The international theme for World Wetlands Day 2020 is ‘Wetlands and Biodiversity. This theme is reflected in the February 2020 edition of Wetlands Australia.
Wetland biodiversity contributes to ecosystem resilience, clean water, water supply, storm protection, carbon storage, health and well-being, tourism, recreation, and jobs. Biodiversity is a foundational value of wetlands and an inherent part of the significance of these ecosystems. It is through wetland biodiversity that critical ecological processes are carried out. Wetland biodiversity’s contribution to broader environments, society, and economies has also been historically undervalued. This year we celebrate the great value of wetlands and their biodiversity. Happy World Wetlands Day.
Leave a Reply