World Wetlands Day

On February 2, several United States Embassies will join local communities across the world to commemorate World Wetlands Day, an annual celebration of the vital importance of wetlands to the world’s ecological health and of efforts to conserve these invaluable habitats. The day marks the anniversary of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, signed on February 2, 1971 in Ramsar, Iran.

Wetlands are often deemed the Earth’s kidneys because of the vital function they play in storm and flood protection and water filtration. These swamps, marshes, bogs, sloughs and other areas teem with life and provide a rich feeding ground for migratory birds, fish and mammals. They also contribute greatly to local economies through the harvesting of aquatic resources and ecotourism.

This year’s theme, “From the Mountains to the Sea: Wetlands at Work for US”, emphasizes that the benefits of wetlands extend from inland areas to coastal zones. Wetlands are a source of water, food, recreation, transportation, and, in some places, are part of the local religious and cultural heritage. They provide vital groundwater replenishment, benefiting people throughout an entire watershed area.

Despite the great value of wetlands, they have been shrinking the world over, including in the United States. Two hundred years ago the United States had twice the acreage of wetlands that it has today, now estimated at around 100 million acres.

To protect wetlands, in 1987 the United States joined the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty that aims to halt the worldwide loss of wetlands and to conserve those that remain through wise use and management. From the first 18 countries that signed the treaty, the Convention has grown to 138 parties today. Contracting Parties have listed 1,328 wetlands sites covering 45 million acres designated for inclusion in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance. Today the U.S. has 19 Ramsar sites, covering 500,000 acres.

For further information, visit the State Department’s Bureau of Oceans, Environment and Science Web site at http://www.state.gov/g/oes and the Ramsar Web site at http://ramsar.org.

2004/109