Preservation of Wetlands Takes the Spotlight on February 2

Jamaica will join the global community in celebrating World Wetlands Day on February 2, highlighting the importance of these vital ecosystems.

This year’s theme, ‘Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future’, emphasises the need for collective action to preserve wetlands for future generations and to ensure their role in environmental sustainability, climate resilience, and economic development.

In an interview with JIS News, Senior Public Education and Community Outreach Officer at the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), Ava Tomlinson, explains that the agency serves as the Secretariat for Jamaica’s National Ramsar Committee, which oversees the country’s four internationally recognised wetlands of importance, namely the Black River Lower Morass, the Palisadoes-Port Royal Protected Area, Portland Bight Wetlands and Cays, and the Mason River Protected Area.

“As the nation’s environmental regulator, NEPA also monitors other wetland areas across the island, ensuring that developments in these sensitive ecosystems adhere to sustainable guidelines,” she added.

Sharing details on the importance of wetlands, Ms. Tomlinson said they provide numerous benefits, including flood control, erosion prevention, water purification, and carbon storage.

“They serve as biodiversity hotspots, supporting a wide range of plant and animal species, some of which are endangered and endemic to Jamaica,” she informed, adding that “these ecosystems are essential for fisheries, agriculture, eco-tourism, and overall environmental balance.”

Even though wetlands play some crucial roles, they face several threats, including pollution from agricultural and industrial runoffs, deforestation of mangroves, land encroachment for development, and overfishing.

“You also have invasive species, including plants and animals, that will disrupt the ecosystems of the wetlands,” Ms. Tomlinson said.

To mitigate these threats, ensuring that wetland conservation remains a national priority, NEPA enforces strict environmental guidelines and promotes community awareness.

“Even though wetlands are areas that have specific functions under the Ramsar Convention, it does allow for wise use, and so NEPA ensures that this wise use is taken into consideration with developments taking place within areas of wetlands,” Ms. Tomlinson explains.

As part of its efforts to protect these areas, the agency also actively engages in educational programmes to raise awareness about wetland conservation.

“Through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, NEPA integrates wetland education into the National Standards Curriculum, ensuring that students learn about their significance. The agency also organises annual CSEC (Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate) seminars, with wetlands and ecosystems as key topics, and works with schools through environmental clubs and outreach programmes,” Ms. Tomlinson pointed out.

Beyond schools, NEPA collaborates with hoteliers, government agencies, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to promote awareness at a national level by facilitating sensitisation sessions on wetland conservation.

For this year’s celebration of World Wetlands Day, NEPA has organised several activities beginning on January 31. These include community outreach activities in Port Royal and other parts of the island, where NEPA and several key partners will engage residents and visitors in discussions on wetland conservation and the importance of mangroves.

Among the partners are the Water Resources Authority, Forestry Department, Institute of Jamaica Natural History Museum, and the Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation.

There will also be educational tours for students from select early-childhood, primary, and secondary institutions, who will tour the Port Royal Marine Laboratory of the University of the West Indies.

They will explore wetlands, participate in birdwatching, and learn about marine species, such as seahorses and starfish.

On Sunday, February 2, the NEPA will have a special 10:00 a.m. worship service at the St. Paul’s Methodist Church in Port Royal.

Partners and community members are invited to attend.

NEPA encourages schools, businesses, and community groups interested in wetland tours or conservation initiatives to reach out to them by visiting their website at https://www.nepa.gov.jm/ or telephone 876-754-7540.