Why should we care about wetlands?
Wetlands are large plains of land where the ground is constantly saturated. It might sound like wetlands aren’t really that important, but when we start diving deeper into what they actually do for nature, we start to realise that we need to do everything we can to start protecting them!
What is World Wetlands Day?
We celebrate World Wetlands Day on 2 February every year. This started back in 1971, when a treaty was signed to motivate international cooperation to conserve wetlands. We celebrate this day in order to raise awareness about wetlands and to encourage people to use them wisely. We are losing wetlands three times faster than forests, and since we have already lost around 50% of the world’s wetlands, we better get a move on!
What do wetlands do for us?
- They purify our water.
- They store water for when other water sources have dried up.
- They prevent floods by slowing the flow of water down and storing the excess water.
- They help control and prevent erosion.
- They are home to many different animals, including flamingos and frogs.
- They provide food for cattle.
How can we help protect wetlands?
- Go and explore some wetlands near you! By doing this, you will learn a lot more about wetlands and why they are important.
- Use biodegradable, eco-friendly products when you clean in and around the house. When we use harsh chemicals, they leech into groundwater and eventually into the wetlands.
- Use your water sparingly! Water plays a big role in keeping wetlands alive, so when we keep the tap on longer than it needs to be, we are hurting the wetlands.
- Learn about wetlands as much as you can, and start teaching your friends about them! Creating awareness is what this day is all about, so as soon as you can, start reaching out to your friends and teach them everything you know.
World Wetlands Day is open for everyone to celebrate! This year’s theme is Wetland Restoration…which just goes to show how important it is that we all start focusing on helping the wetlands heal as soon as possible.
So, don’t only wait for World Wetlands Day to come around again next year before you talk about it! Share the news with your friends and start creating some awareness in the younger generations.
If you would like to know more about why World Wetlands Day is so important, you can go and have a look at these articles:
https://www.worldwetlandsday.org/about
https://www.thewetlandscentre.org.au/blog/things-to-do-to-help-wetlands/
