Wetlands are Essential - Ramsar Convention

Wetlands are an essential part of our planet's hydrologic system. They are vital to the health of waterways and surrounding communities. They provide essential services, both environmentally and economically. Wetlands include swamps, marshes, and bogs, and can vary greatly in soil composition, climate, topography, vegetation, water chemistry, etc. Wetlands found in flood plains or near waterways are connected to surface water, while there are other wetlands that have a stronger connection to ground water.

Wetlands provide habitat to one of the most biologically rich ecosystems on the planet. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, numerous species rely on wetlands for reproduction, food, and shelter. For some forms of life, including wood ducks, muskrat, and cattails, wetlands are their sole habitat. Many bird species food, nest, and raise their young in wetlands. Some species of migratory birds, in fact, are so dependent on certain wetlands that they would become extinct of those wetlands were destroyed. Wetlands provide habitat for water lilies, turtles, fish, frogs, snakes, alligators, waterfowl, and mammals.

Wetlands help trap flood waters, recharge groundwater supplies, filter pollution, provide habitat, and provide recreation. Because they are able to provide habitat and recreation, that makes them vital to economic health as well. Most commercial and game fish breed and raise their young in coastal marshes and estuaries, including enhaden, flounder, sea trout, spot, croaker, and striped bass. Shrimp, oysters, clams, and blue and Dungeness crabs need these wetlands for food, shelter, and breeding grounds. Recreation can offer an important economic influx as well.

      The Ramsar convention was a convention held in Iran in 1971 with representatives from 18 industrial countries to prepare the first comprehensive treaty regarding wetlands. The treaty addresses the conservation and sustainability of wetlands. It is the only global convention that has focused on an ecosystem. The Convention defines wetlands broadly, including lakes and rivers, underground aquifers, swamps and marshes, wet grasslands, peatlands, estuaries, tidal flats, mangroves, coral reefs, and all human-made sites such as reservoirs, fish ponds, and rice paddies. Ramsar does not cover deep oceans. Its mission statement reads, "The conservation and wise use of wetlands through local, regional and national actions and international cooperation as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world.” They define the wise use of wetlands as, "their sustainable utilization for the benefit of humankind in a way compatible with the maintenance of the natural properties of the ecosystem” Today, there are 2040 Wetlands of International Importance, or "Ramsar sites," totaling at 193 million hectares. Some criteria for classifying these areas can include the support of important biodiversity or an important life-cycle site for species, such as turtles, waterbirds, and fish.

The idea to form the Convention occurred in 1962, but it took eight years to actually realize it. Managing wetlands is a global challenge, and the member countries of the Convention recognize the value of having one international treaty dedicated to a single ecosystem. The Ramsar Convention recognizes the importance of wetlands for human well-being, including the importance in goods and services as well as food and water security. The model supports practical and "wise" use, hopefully lending to sustainable practices.

Strouds Run is a man-made reservoir, which would be classified as a wetland under Ramsar

For more information:
The Nature Conservancy
EPA Wetland Fact Sheet 
PowerPoint about Ramsar
The World Wildlife Foundation