World Wetlands Day, which falls on 2nd February each year, is a day to raise public awareness of the value of wetlands.
Did you know that wetlands play a vital role as carbon sinks (ie absorbing carbon dioxide emissions)?
The theme for World Wetlands Day 2012 is Wetlands and Tourism and is linked to the theme for the next meeting of the Conference of the Parties, COP11: Wetlands, Tourism and Recreation, which will take place in July 2012 in Bucharest, Romania.
Wetland tourism has benefits both locally and nationally for people and wildlife – benefits such as stronger economies, sustainable livelihoods, healthy people and thriving ecosystems.
Ensuring well-managed tourism practices in and around wetlands and educating tourists on the value of wetlands contributes to the health of the world’s wetlands and the long-term benefits that wetlands provide to people, wildlife, economics, and biodiversity.
World Wetlands Day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2nd February 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Each year since 1977 government agencies, non-governmental organisations and groups of citizens at all levels of the community have taken advantage of the opportunity to undertake actions aimed at raising public awareness of the benefits of wetlands.
For resources for children and adults, see http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-activities-wwds-wwd2012index/main/ramsar/1-63-78%5E25324_4000_0__.