World Wetlands Day 2017
February 2, 2017
The Full Story
World Wetlands Day will be celebrated on February 2, 2017. The theme is “Wetlands for Disaster Risk Reduction.”
According to the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, otherwise known as the Ramsar Convention, wetlands include: “all lakes and rivers, underground aquifers, swamps and marshes, wet grasslands, peatlands, oases, estuaries, deltas and tidal flats, mangroves and other coastal areas, coral reefs, and all human-made sites such as fish ponds, rice paddies, reservoirs and salt pans.”. They are important to humans and mammals, and should be protected.
Some important functions of Wetlands include:
- Protecting shorelines by acting as a barrier against strong waves which may cause erosion
- Acting as flood protection by reducing the impact of flood waters
- Acting as a barrier for strong winds
- Providing a secure place for plants and animals to live and reproduce
- Helping to maintain a balanced ecosystem
Practices that are Harmful to Wetlands
- Pollution
- Draining/filling /dumping up wetlands
- Burning of fires in/around wetlands
- Deforestation of wetlands
- Construction in wetland areas
- Hunting animals that reside in wetlands
For additional Information visit www.nepa.gov.jm