World Wetlands Day is observed every year on 2nd February to raise global awareness about the important role of wetlands for our planet. The day also marks the anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) in Ramsar, Iran, on 2nd February, 1971. The Ramsar Convention officially went into effect in December of 1975. Currently, this plan protects more than 2,000 wetlands. This total number of wetlands spans approximately 450,000 acres.
Wetlands are land areas that are saturated or flooded with water either permanently or seasonally. Inland wetlands include marshes, ponds, lakes, rivers, floodplains, and swamps. Coastal wetlands on the other hand include saltwater marshes, estuaries, mangroves, lagoons and even coral reefs. There are human-made wetlands as well. They are – Fishponds, rice paddies, and saltpans.
This day is a day that is designed to raise global awareness about the important role that wetlands play for the environment and all of mankind. Over time, human construction has led to various ecological problems affecting wetlands. Over-population and construction has led to a decrease in environmental conservation and in total has brought upon issues to these marvelous lands. Many wetlands are being lost and we must recognize this dilemma before we lose a natural filter and conserver of the world. Whenever you look into a water body and see a small environment of plant life and organisms, a wetland is in observation and we as world community should protect these dear communities of life.
Each year a theme is selected to focus attention and help raise public awareness about the value of wetlands. Countries organize a variety of events to raise awareness such as; lectures, seminars, nature walks, children’s art contests, sampan races, community clean-up days, radio and television interviews, letters to newspapers, to the launch of new wetland policies, new Ramsar Sites and new programs at the national level.
This year’s theme shines a spotlight on wetlands as a source of freshwater and encourages actions to restore them and stop their loss. The world is facing a growing freshwater crisis that threatens people and our planet as well. People are using more freshwater than nature can replenish, hence we are destroying the ecosystem that water and all life depend on most – the Wetlands. Thus, the 2021 campaign highlights the contribution of wetlands to the quantity and quality of freshwater on our planet. Both water and wetlands are connected to the existence of life and wellbeing of this planet.
World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year in Ahmedabad, India by organizing several activities involving both children and adults. It is also celebrated at the WWF-India Secretariat, New Delhi to promote the common people understandings about the importance of the link between wetlands and water as “without water there will be no wetlands – and without wetlands, there will be no water!”.
It is also celebrated in the Jammu and Kashmir, at Manesar Wetland (a Ramsar site) with the involvement of the Department of Wildlife Protection and Department of Environment and Remote Sensing. It is also celebrated in various places such as, Harike (a bird sanctuary in Punjab and a Ramsar site), Surajpur wetland (Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh), Bharatpur (Keoladeo National Park), Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary (U.P.) and etc.
