World Wetlands Day is celebrated on February 2 to raise awareness for these invaluable natural resources.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, wetlands are areas where water covers the soil or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time during the year, including during growing season.
Wetlands determine or influence most of an area’s biogeochemistry and play a large role in the biodiversity.
South Africa has 26 Ramsar wetland sites. This means the country has signed the Convention on Wetlands. This is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
‘Today not only marks World Wetlands Day, but the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Ramsar treaty to protect significant wetland sites,’ the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (Saambr) posted on Facebook.
Posted by Saambr on Tuesday, 2 February 2021
Posted by Saambr on Tuesday, 2 February 2021
‘As we are all aware, South Africa is a water-scarce country and unfortunately many of our streams and rivers are polluted. Regardless of whether they are marshes, pans, vleis, mangroves or estuaries all wetlands are able to improve the quality of the water entering the wetland,’ the organisation continued.
‘Wetlands provide a safe home to millions of diverse species of plants and animals, store carbon, hold and slowly release a steady supply of water into the environment and reduce flood damage.’
To find out how you can contribute to the protection of wetlands, view this booklet from Saambr.
Picture: Facebook/Saambr
