World Wetlands Day
World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year on 2 February. This day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Designated sites are called Ramsar sites and today there are over 2,200 Ramsar Sites across 169 countries, covering more than 2.1 million square kilometres. That’s a lot of protected wetland!
The term Wetlands covers any area of land which is wet, either occasionally or permanently including saltmarshes, rivers, lakes, marshes, swamps and mosslands etc. Wetlands are a critical part of our natural environment as they protect our shores from wave action, reduce the impacts of floods, absorb pollutants and improve water quality. They provide habitat for animals and plants and many contain a wide diversity of life.
The term Wetlands covers any area of land which is wet, either occasionally or permanently including saltmarshes, rivers, lakes, marshes, swamps and mosslands etc. Wetlands are a critical part of our natural environment as they protect our shores from wave action, reduce the impacts of floods, absorb pollutants and improve water quality. They provide habitat for animals and plants and many contain a wide diversity of life.
The theme for this year is "Wetlands for a Sustainable Urban Future". The areas around the River Mersey are largely urban but a large proportion of the River Mersey is now designated as a RAMSAR site. The Mersey Estuary is a Special Protected Area as it is home to thousands of birds of European and International importance. (see Mersey WeBS page).These sites are vital for Cheshire, Liverpool (and Europe’s) wildlife!
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Information kindly provided by Ramsar Convention and Cheshire Wildlife Trust.
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