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Tuesday, February 1, 2011

WORLD WETLANDS DAY- 2nd Feb 2011






2 February each year is World Wetlands Day. It marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Each year since 1997, 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.
Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems in the world, comparable to rain forests and coral reefs; they are found on every continent except Antarctica and from the tundra to the tropics. Due to typical functions like- wildlife habitat and food chain support, groundwater recharge, water purification, nutrient retention and flood control- wetlands are considered as "biological supermarkets", "nurseries of life" and "the kidneys of the landscape" (Barbier et al. 1997; Mitsch and Gosselink 1993). These are facing threats for existence; major threats are- anthropogenic activities, agriculture activities, deforestation, pesticides pollution, pollution, introduced species threats due to Eichhornia etc. Migrating birds use wetlands to rest and feed during their cross-continental journeys and as nesting sites when they are at home. As a result, wetland loss has a serious impact on these species.
The theme for World Wetlands Day 2011 is Wetlands and Forests and slogan is– Forests for water and wetlands. 2011 is a special year for Ramsar as we are celebrating our 40th anniversary. Best Wishes. Read the Message of Mr Anada Tiéga, Secretary General, Ramsar Convention, by clicking here and for Ramsar Sites in Google Earth click here.
[Source: Ramsar and Red Tape Movement]

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