World Wetlands Day
Recently added wetlands of India
A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Wetlands are considered among the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems, serving as home to a wide range of plant and animal species.
Wetlands associated with streams and rivers slow down floodwaters by acting as giant shallow pans. Water flowing into these pans loses speed and spreads out. Plants in the wetland play an important role in holding back the water.
There are 49 Ramsar sites in India. These are wetlands deemed to be of “international importance” under the Ramsar Convention.
India has designated the Haiderpur wetland, which is about 10 km from Bijnor, as the country’s 47th Ramsar site and 2,463rd Ramsar site internationally.According to WWF-India, wetlands are one of the most threatened of all ecosystems in India. Loss of vegetation, salinization, excessive inundation, water pollution, invasive species, excessive development, and road building, have all damaged the country’s wetlands. In 2021 four new sites were added that include Thol and Wadhwana from Gujarat and Sultanpur and Bhindawas from Haryana. The surface area covered by Ramsar Sites is around 1,083,322 hectares.
The world’s remaining wetlands are under threat due to water drainage, pollution, unsustainable use, invasive species, disrupted flows from dams, sediment dumping from deforestation, and soil erosion upstream. Wetlands are critical to human and planet life.
Saving the wetlands is an important task as wetlands are an important part of the ecosystem that regulates water and have a unique role in maintaining the food chain. Wetlands are also habitats for several species of wildlife, from aquatic animals to migratory birds, which lie within various ecosystems of the high mountains and lowland plains.
We can save them by reducing, reusing, and recycling our waste and trash. Protecting the environment helps protect the wetlands, especially since trash can make its way into the water. The best and easiest way to protect the environment is by limiting your household waste.
By Ishi Srivastava
Inspiring VID
