A wetland is a place where the land is covered by water, either fresh or salt. Low-lying areas like marshes and ponds, edges around the lakes or oceans, and the delta at the mouth of a river are wetlands.
They are known to support fauna— including mammals, birds and fish. They also support the cultivation of rice, a staple in the diet of half the world’s population. Wetlands serve as an ecosystem that help us in many ways — water filtration, storm protection, flood control and recreation. Without them, cities would have to spend more money to treat water for their citizens, floods would be recurrent and thereby more devastating, animals would be displaced.
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Earth’s climate is changing and temperatures are rising, resulting in the warming of oceans. Snow and ice are melting and sea levels are rising faster than recorded during any previous century. Increased amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, and other greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere due to human activity are cited as a reason for this change.
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Increase in carbon dioxide traps heat in the atmosphere causing a rise in air, water and soil temperatures. This affects wetlands, lakes, streams, rivers, estuaries, oceans and ground waters. Wetlands play an important role in reducing the impact of extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and cyclones. They act as a natural sponge, absorbing and storing excess rainfall and reducing flooding. During the dry season, they release the water stored, delaying the onset of droughts and reducing water shortages. The frequency of natural hazards has more than doubled; the majority is climate and weather related.
International Wetlands Day
World Wetlands Day is celebrated on February 2. This day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on February 2, 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea. It commemorates the need to maintain wetlands and to plan for their sustainable use. This year’s theme is “Wetlands and Climate Change”. It has been chosen to initiate action against the drainage of wetlands.
Get involved
Do your part to protect and preserve this unique eco-system
Create a group: Get together with friends and neighbours and contact local environmental organisations to find out more about wetlands in your area. Organise activities in your area that can create awareness on this issue.
Clean up: Pick up litter and dispose in appropriate trash containers. Put up boards that encourage others to do this too.
Green mantra: Plant local species of trees, shrubs and flowers to maintain the ecological balance of your wetlands.
At home: Make sure you use phosphate-free laundry and dishwasher detergents these cause algae to grow in water bodies suffocating aquatic life.
Non toxic: Use paper and recycled products made from unbleached paper. Bleached paper contains toxic chemicals that can contaminate water.
3 R’s: Reduce, reuse and recycle household items and waste.