Give yourself a pat on the back

What is World Wetlands Day?

World Wetlands Day is celebrated each year on 2 February to raise awareness about wetlands. This day also marks the anniversary of the Convention on Wetlands, which was adopted as an international treaty in 1971.

What is the Convention on Wetlands?

The Convention on Wetlands (also known as the Ramsar convention) is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. The Convention’s mission is “the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world”.

In Australia

The convention entered into force in Australia on 21 December 1975. Australia currently has 66 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites), with a surface area of 8,307,722 hectares.

Why care about wetlands?

Wetlands are critically important ecosystems that contribute to biodiversity, climate mitigation and adaptation, freshwater availability, world economies and more.

Wetland Key Biodiversity Areas

We currently have 334 KBAs in Australia, and 75% of those are listed RAMSAR wetlands of international importance. This is an impressive number, and highlights that when the KBA program was established and Ramsar wetlands were classified, that they were in good condition so that they supported the species or number of species to warrant these designation levels.

For anyone who has noticed their KBA wetland condition decrease over time, then there might be a need for management actions. We need healthy wetlands dotted across landscapes so that birds and other biodiversity that rely on them can continue existing. In addition to this, it’s important to maintain connectivity and have multiple types of habitats within wetlands for representativeness for a range of species. Wetland KBAs often provide this, but in some instances, wetlands require ongoing management to maintain water and mud levels, as well as vegetation cover. In this case, restoration works will play a vital role and will assist Australia in achieving its conservation goals under the Convention on Biological Diversity and work towards climate change targets.

When we do our annual health-checks of KBAs, we are also getting a snapshot into how our Ramsar-listed wetlands are doing. This helps Australia, at a governmental level to fulfil its international obligations as a signatory to the Ramsar convention. So, to all the KBA Guardians out there surveying and caring for a wetland KBA – THANK YOU! You are contributing to the global conservation of some of the world’s most threatened ecosystems. Please keep playing your part in this, and on World Wetlands Day, enjoy the wetland landscapes and the beautiful birdlife within.

This day to celebrate and raise awareness of wetlands is also a day to reflect on the different programs by BirdLife Australia that work to protect wetlands. We’ve got the Coastal and Wetland Birds team (Beach-nesting Birds, Migratory Shorebirds, Wetland Birds programs) full of leading scientists in their field working on a range of species that use wetlands. The Conservation and Advocacy team engage with volunteers and supporters in the network to protect wetlands, such as the Save Toondah Harbour campaign. The Nature Climate Solutions program working across the organisation to ensure that wetlands are protected and restored. Then, we have all the branches across Australia, many of which coordinate projects and surveys in wetlands. So, today we give ourselves a pat on the back and enjoy the beauty of wetlands and life within them.

By Amanda Lilleyman