Why World Wetlands Day is important to all of us...

Well folks, today is February 2 and every year this is celebrated as World Wetlands Day.

It marks the date of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands, called Ramsar Convention, on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea. WWD was celebrated for the first time in 1997 and made an encouraging beginning. 

A wetland is an area of ground that is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorized by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions. The water found in wetlands can be saltwater, freshwater, or brackish. Wetlands include swamps, marshes, and bogs, among others. 

Wetlands are found on every continent except Antarctica. One of the world's largest natural wetlands is the Pantanal, which spans across Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay in South America.

Why this ado about wetlands?? Well, these wetlands play important role in ground water recharge or discharge, maintenance of underground water tables, Freshwater cycle, Stabilization of local climate, protecting bio-diversity among others.

Moreover, these wetlands also mean a dash of freshness in today’s concrete jungle, where connoisseurs or amateur alike, can flock and enjoy the pristine avian beauty. Can we allow such beautiful birds to perish because of our recklessness?

 

Pied Kingfisher

Flamingo

Scarlet Ibis

 

If your answer is ‘Yes’ then go on filling land endlessly, over exploit those fish resources, pollute the water bodies with untreated sewage (both domestic and industrial).

Achtung, when I met the mother Earth, she was complaining about the current state of affairs and how green was her valley? It is not just about celebration of a ‘Day’, what we do throughout the year would decide how long we could ‘celebrate’ such days. Do you know, more than 1/2 of the world's wetlands have already been destroyed especially in the developing countries, for want of industrialization.

If your answer is an emphatic ‘No’ then, you can visit various wetlands and enjoy the beauty of these majestic birds and help preserve not just these water bodies but also environment....