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The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and World Wetlands Day
On February 2, 1971, an international treaty known as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands was signed in Ramsar, Iran to recognize the importance of wetlands to humanity, and since then, World Wetlands Day has been celebrated on February 2nd every year.
The treaty designates wetlands of ecological significance as “Ramsar sites,” and according to the convention, these wetlands make up the world’s largest network of protected areas.
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is recognized as one of the first global efforts aimed at acknowledging the critical value of wetlands, an ecosystem that is disappearing from the planet at alarming rates.
But first…what are wetlands?
Wetlands are areas of land that are saturated with water, either seasonally or permanently. They function as transition zones between water and land – creating a unique habitat that nurtures and sustains many different forms of life.
Wetlands provide us with several benefits that are often hard to see or quantify – they protect us from flooding, recharge and purify our water resources, improve biodiversity and provide critical wildlife habitat, boost economic growth, provide food and medicine, mitigate climate change, and even improve our mental health.
What is a Ramsar site?
Wetlands recognized under the treaty are referred to as “Ramsar sites.” There is over 2,400 Ramsar Sites across the world, 41 of which are in the United States. These 41 Ramsar Sites make up over 4.6 million acres in the United States, and 23 of them are completely or partially within designated US Fish and Wildlife Refuges. Indiana does not have any Ramsar Site, yet. You can view these Ramsar Sites using the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Story Map.
How do wetlands qualify as a Ramsar site?
Wetlands that are identified as Ramsar sites must qualify for one of the nine criteria outlined by the convention.
| Criteria | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | A wetland should be considered internationally important if it contains a representative, rare, or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland type found within the appropriate biogeographic region. |
| 2 | A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities. |
| 3 | A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the biological diversity of a particular biogeographic region. |
| 4 | A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports plant and/or animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, or provides refuge during adverse conditions. |
| 5 | A wetland should be considered internationally important if it regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds. |
| 6 | A wetland should be considered internationally important if it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterbird. |
| 7 | A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species or families, life-history stages, species interactions and/or populations that are representative of wetland benefits and/or values and thereby contributes to global biological diversity. |
| 8 | A wetland should be considered internationally important if it is an important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration path on which fish stocks, either within the wetland or elsewhere, depend. |
| 9 | A wetland should be considered internationally important if it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of wetland-dependent non-avian animal species. |
These criteria place a special importance on whether the wetland is supporting critical habitat for endangered or at-risk wildlife, significant populations of waterfowl and fish, or if it is a rare, unique, or vulnerable wetland ecosystem type. This allows for flexibility in determining which wetlands can qualify as a Ramsar site based on the underlying features of the wetland.
Towards a global wetland protection network
The biggest benefit in identifying wetlands as Ramsar sites is the creation of a globally recognized network of protected wetlands. Wetland ecosystems, ranging from salt mangroves to inland swamps, are rapidly disappearing from our planet due to environmental threats like urban development and industrial agriculture. Combined with the lack of strong global policy to protect these ecosystems, we continue to lose them every year. But luckily, we can reverse these losses with a dramatic shift in mindset and policy that aims to protect wetlands rather than destroy them.
Recognizing wetlands as Ramsar sites gives a wetland an added sense of value to humanity at a global level. At Hoosier Environmental Council, we are taking steps to identify potential wetlands in Indiana that may qualify as Ramsar sites to send a signal to our policy makers and Hoosiers that wetlands are vitally important for our survival, and we must start protecting them now. If you know of an Indiana wetland that might be a good candidate for Ramsar site, fill out our Potential Ramsar Sites in Indiana form.
Categories: Sustainable Development and Green Infrastructure, Water & Wilderness Protection