Wetlands for our future

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Every February 2, World Wetlands Day is celebrated around the world, thanks to the Intergovernmental Treaty signed in the city of Ramsar (Iran) in 1971, which provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of these natural or non-natural areas.

Every February 2, World Wetlands Day is celebrated around the world, thanks to the Intergovernmental Treaty signed in the city of Ramsar (Iran) in 1971, which provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of these natural or non-natural areas.

They are considered terrestrial areas that are seasonally or permanently flooded with water and can be classified as follows:

- Inland wetlands:

-Swamps, ponds, lakes, floodplains, and marshes.

- Coastal wetlands:

-Mangroves, saltwater marshes, estuaries, lagoons - even coral reefs.

They purify and replenish water, and provide the fish and rice that feed billions of people. Wetlands act as a natural sponge against floods and drought and naturally protect our coasts. They burst with biodiversity and are a vital means of storing carbon.

Wetland plants can help reduce water pollution, absorb harmful fertilizers and pesticides, accumulate some heavy metals and toxins from the industry.

They are essential for many amphibians and reptiles and for bird breeding and migration. Many wetlands harbor "endemic species".

They filter sewage and industrial effluents free of charge. A treatment plant would cost US$2 million per year.

Unfortunately, these benefits are not widely known. Often seen as wasteland, 64% of wetlands have disappeared since 1900.

In Venezuela there are 5 wetlands declared Ramsar sites: La Reserva de Cuare (Falcón); La Laguna de La Restinga (Nueva Esparta); Ciénaga Los Olivitos (Zulia); Archipiélago Los Roques and Laguna de Tacarigua (Miranda). However, there are more areas that are susceptible to protection due to their important biodiversity. Such is the case of Laguna del Maguey in Puerto La Cruz (Anzoátegui), where the mangrove protection cordon is disappearing due to the unstoppable construction of urban developments.

For more information visit the official website www.ramsar.org 

Photo: Maguey Lagoon (Carlos Enrique García)