Wednesday 2nd February is World Wetlands Day and will mark the 40th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, also known as the Ramsar Convention, named after the Iranian city where the treaty was adopted.
The Convention is committed to the conservation and 'wise use' of wetlands through local and international action. 1,911 sites in 161 countries are covered and the total designated area is 186,950,196 hectares worldwide. The treaty protects the breeding or wintering sites of many globally or nationally threatened or endangered wetland species, such as the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper and the near threatened Black-tailed Godwit.
There are more than 140 Ramsar sites in the United Kingdom, many of which are RSPB reserves or lie within s Ramsar designated site, including: Belfast Lough, Exe Estuary, Leighton Moss, Loch of Strathbeg, Nene and Ouse Washes. Our Snettisham and Titchwell Marsh reserves fall within the North Norfolk Coast designated area.
So this weekend, why not visit a reserve and see some of our most iconic wetland species...after having completed your Big Garden Birdwatch, of course!
On a practical level, you can help towards our understanding of and the conservation of wetland birds by participating in the Wetland Bird Survey, or WeBS. The scheme aims to monitor the populations of non-breeding waterbirds in the UK, and to identify sites of national or international importance...and it is fun too!
Any questions about World Wetlands Day or WeBS, please post them here.
ATB,
DOM
Leave only footprints, kill only time.
You may also find this blog post in Saving special places of interest!
Warden Intern at Otmoor.