World Wetlands Day: Focus on protecting Wetlands for the future
ORANJESTAD - Life thrives in wetlands, and people depend on these areas. In the past, these places were known as bays, lagoons, or salt flats. However, the Global Wetlands Convention has defined what wetlands are.
Wetlands are areas that are continuously saturated or seasonally flooded, serving as a habitat and breeding ground for many endangered or threatened species. These ecosystems host a variety of endemic plants and animals that can only survive in these environments. Additionally, wetlands help protect against natural disasters by mitigating the impact of storms, floods, and droughts.
Healthy wetlands are crucial for climate change mitigation, adaptation, biodiversity, and human health. However, unsustainable development, pollution, and climate change continue to threaten these ecosystems. Protecting wetlands requires collaboration on best practices, regulations, and community initiatives that encourage effective conservation and sustainable use of these ecosystems.
World Wetlands Day is celebrated annually on February 2. This commemoration aims to raise awareness and understanding of the critical importance of wetlands. Around the world, humanity has depended on wetlands for centuries, by obtaining resources, inspiration, and resilience from these vital areas.
In this context, the Wetlands Convention has announced the theme for this year: "Wetlands Protection for our shared future."Every three years, representatives of the governments of each of the Contracting Parties to the Wetlands Convention meet to make decisions on the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands and agree on a work program for the next three years.
For World Wetlands Day 2025, DNM encourages and invites everyone to take action to help preserve these important ecosystems:
- Make conscious choices to prevent the pollution of wetlands.
- Join the global effort to conserve and sustainably manage wetlands.
- Participate in wetland restoration efforts in Aruba, such as cleanup activities in areas like Spaans Lagoen and other salt flats and water reservoirs.
Be part of the solution by taking proactive action and sharing your wetland conservation stories with others. Join DNM and other initiatives to help protect these valuable areas.
