World Wetland Day 2025

It is world wetland awareness day.

Wetlands: natures Marvels.

Have you ever given a thought to wetlands, well I have not. Other than my geography text book, the only other place that seem to talk about it is the UPSC exam. Even today on WORLD WETLAND AWARENESS DAY, it the celebrity turn out at Kumbha Mela hogging the headlines, not either the budget or  a vital contribution to our ecosystem.

So, what are wetlands?     Wetlands are transitional ecosystems where the land is saturated with water. Either permanently or seasonally. They are dynamic environments found at the interface between terrestrial and aquatic habitats, this makes them unique. Wetlands include swamps, marshes, bogs, and fens. They are indispensable to the health of the planet and our own well-being.

These wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems in the world. They produce a significant diversity of life, from microbes, to mammals and play a crucial role in the life cycle of many species. They provide breeding, nesting and feeding rounds for countless species of  birds, fish, amphibians and invertebrates. They are biodiversity hotspots.

In India we find

• Coastal wetlands:    mangroves, coral reefs, estuaries and lagoons.
• Inland wetlands:      lakes, rivers, marshes and swamp
• Artificial wetlands:   ponds, reservoirs, and rice paddies.

The wetlands in goa are primarily coastal and include mangroves, and estuarine systems. The Mandovi and Zuari estuaries are significant for their mangrove forests which are crucial breeding grounds for fish and other aquatic life. Goa also has numerous smaller water bodies that play an important role in conversing biodiversity and ecosystem services.

The Ramsar convention has designated Ramsar wetlands of international importance. The international treaty aims to conserve wetlands and promote their sustainable use.        India has several Ramsar sites, including the Nanda Lake in Goa. These sites are recognized for their ecological significance and protected to conserve and protect biodiversity.

These wetlands actually offer a plethora of benefits.

1. Biodiversity:  they support a wide variety of plants and animals.
2. Purification of water:         wetlands filter pollutants and improve water quality.
3. Flood control:          they act as natural sponges, absorbing the flood waters and releasing them slowly.
4. Wetlands store significant amounts of carbon; this mitigates climate change. This is called carbon sequestration.
5. Fishing, agriculture and tourism are the resources and services that provide livelihood.

The wetlands of Goa under numerous threats, like

1. The enormous influx of tourism, especially due to the floating casino’s has led to destruction of mangroves and aquatic life.
2. Urbanization has led to encroachment and land reclamation for infrastructure have reduced the wetland areas.
3. Industrial waste, overwhelming sewage and agricultural runoff’s have degraded the water quality. Again, bringing about damage to the flora and fauna of the wetlands.
4. Rising sea levels and changing weather patterns threaten the delicate balance of these ecosystems.

To facilitate the floating casinos and the increasing demands of the tourism industry, there has been destruction of the local wetlands. There has been increase in pollution, habitat destruction, disruption of local wildlife. The light and noise pollutions of the casino’s have affected the natural behaviour of nocturnal animals.

Okay so much for blame game. What can we do as a community… of course first answer would be to take responsibility. Its of course a collective. From the state we could demand

1. Policy implementation:       enforce strict regulations to prevent encroachment and pollution. That would mean we need to attend the monthly panchayat meetings.
2. We could initiate restoration projects, to restore the degraded wetlands.
3. Create awareness among the people on the importance of wetlands.

As a community:

• Volunteer programs;          participate in wetland clean-up and restoration efforts.
• Sustainable practises:        encourage sustainable fishing, farming and tourism practises.
• Citizen science, and charter to engage in monitoring and reporting wetland health.

As individuals we can be a little more responsible and pro-active.

• Reduce pollution:    minimizing the use of plastics and chemicals that can end up in wetlands.
• Advocate:      support policies and initiatives that protect wetlands.
• Educate spread awareness about importance of wetlands to friends and family.

Just to sum it up, today on world wetland awareness day, can put kumbha mela aside and look at the wetlands and vital ecosystems that provide numerous ecological, economic and social benefits. Protecting them requires a collective effort from the state, community and individuals.