Under the motto “Water and wetlands in danger (70 years later)”, SEO/BirdLife celebrates this anniversary of the World Wetlands Day with numerous free educational, informative and didactic activities for all target groups throughout the country.
A new edition of the World Wetlands Day, which is commemorated around the world on February 2. The motto chosen by the Convention of Ramsar in 2024 it will be “wetlands and human well-being”.
And it hints at a necessary connection that goes beyond the good conservation status of the habitats and the biodiversity that these spaces nurture and the ecosystem services they provide, but it also includes the physical and mental health they provide to people.
World Wetlands Day and 70 years of SEO/BridLife struggle
From the NGO they participate in this great celebration of the World Wetlands Day under the slogan “Water and wetlands in danger (70 years later)”. Since then, they have been pioneers in the conservation of the Doñana more than 70 years ago, with the famous scientific expedition to the Guadalquivir marshes, led, among others, by Francisco Bernis, founder of the Spanish Society of Ornithology.
Professor Bernis was also the author of the ingenious letter to Franco about the Coto’s relegation. And the need to preserve its natural resources. A decisive letter for the paralysis of drainage and the planting of eucalyptus in the swamps. And the seed of the future protection and declaration of the Doñana National Park in 1969.
Since SEO/BirdLife was founded 70 years ago, wetlands have occupied a priority position on the agenda, through the restoration and restoration of degraded wetlands and through water advocacy to ensure the best conservation and management of these ecosystems.
The long experience in the restoration of these aquatic environments is accredited by the several coastal and inland lagoons that have been regenerated and returned to nature, many of which have been converted into ornithological reserves.
This is the case, for example, with the White and Black Marismas in Astillero and the Las Llamas Park in Santander (Cantabria); the Tancat de la Pipa (Valencia Lagoon); Riet Vell and El Clot (Ebro Delta), and the El Oso Lagoon (Ávila). In addition, carrying out bird monitoring and outreach tasks in numerous urban wetlands across the country.
Because only well-preserved wetlands can guarantee the numerous ecosystem services that promote human well-being: water resources in quantity and quality, flood control and coastal stabilization, food, cultural and landscape values. In addition to possessing important biodiversity and being essential allies for climate change mitigation and adaptation climate change.
World Wetlands Day: Wetlands in danger
In Spain there are 76 Ramsar wetlands of international importance, covering a total of more than 300,000 hectares, making it the third country in the world in terms of the number of wetlands covered by this agreement.
However, 85% of wetlands of international importance in Spain are in a worrying conservation status (18% in moderate condition, 29% in poor condition and 38% in very poor condition). That’s why it’s so important World Wetlands Day.
Petitions on World Wetlands Day
For this reason, this year we demand responsible management from public authorities that guarantees the preservation of these spaces: approval of the management plans for the wetlands of the Red Natura 2000, compliance with the ecological flows allocated in the basin plans and the pursuit of restoration of degraded wetlands in the National Wetlands Strategy. Without forgetting the necessary declaration of coastal lagoons as ‘habitat in danger of disappearing’.
However, as we highlight in the report Ramsar Wetlands in Spain: On Alert, all Ramsar wetlands analyzed suffer from global pressures classified as ‘high’ or ‘very high’, which affects the extent and quality of the habitat they provide necessary for waterfowl populations. . This situation leads to a decline in the global conservation status of these habitats.
The report also shows that 22% of wintering and migratory waterfowl populations pose significant conservation concerns, a figure that rises to 63% in the case of waterfowl populations that use Spanish wetlands for reproduction. In fact, almost 3 in 10 bird species depend on it ecosystems They are very endangered. Something that should not be forgotten in the face of World Wetlands Day.
Activities for World Wetlands Day
We are the representatives in Spain of the Ramsar Convention Program (CeCOP) – the international treaty on wetlands that calls for World Wetlands Day – to promote awareness of the relevance of these spaces, which are vital for birds and other fauna ( 40% of the world’s species live and reproduce in wetlands) and are equally crucial to our well-being.
In its role in Ramsar, we again organized this year, and through local delegations and groups, numerous free activities, open to the public and spread across the country to celebrate the World Wetlands Day. A wide range supplemented with activities from other organizations that join the celebration and demand for wetlands.
Most activities take place between February 2 and 4. And this includes excursions and ornithological routes, workshops, counts, scientific bird ringing days, volunteer work in the environment, species observation, exhibitions, lectures, children’s workshops, conferences and courses.
The information and details about all of them, and others, will be added in the coming days to commemorate the event Day World Wetlandscan be found below card.