By Bridget O’Brien
February is an important month in the World of Conservation and Science, do you know why? That’s right! It’s World Wetlands Day! (You probably didn’t know that, but that’s OK).
So, what is World Wetlands Day?
Well, 52 years ago (the 2nd of February, 1971) the Convention of Wetlands of International Importance was signed at the Ramsar Convention in Iran. From then on, the day has been used to raise awareness about and promote the conservation of Wetland systems throughout the world.
What are wetlands?
Wetlands can be described simply as areas of land that are regularly wet, meaning they are either regularly or semi-regularly inundated by water. Where we live in South East Queensland, we have intertidal and non-tidal wetland habitats. In particular, we have some awesome intertidal wetlands sites on the Gold Coast. This includes marine wetlands (like sandy and rocky shores) and estuarine wetlands (which are places such as sandbanks, mudflats, mangroves, salt marshes and swamp oak woodlands). They are known as some of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet!
Why should we care!?
Wetlands are some of the most crucial habitats we have. Not only do they protect our homes from weather events, they also improve water quality and are responsible for the storage of approximately 35% of land based carbon! They are also some of our favourite places to go exploring, being a hot-spot for fishing and kayaking. Wetlands act as nurseries for baby sea life, particularly for fish. In fact, without wetlands along the eastern coast of Queensland, fish would not be able to sustain populations and many fisheries in QLD would cease to exist. The Great Barrier Reef also relies on wetlands for various reasons, a main one being protection from sediment and nutrient runoff from the land.
Get involved!
If you are interested in protecting these precious habitats, there are so many ways for you to get involved in caring for your local wetland systems! We are lucky enough in SEQ to be a short drive from one of the most significant wetlands on the Gold Coast, the Coombabah Lakelands Conservation Area. The Coombabah Lakelands are part of the Moreton Bay Marine Park which is listed as a Wetland of International Significance. Take yourself and some friends or family on a hike down through the wetlands to see some awesome wildlife and learn along the way. You can also get involved in wetland planting/revegetation events in your local area, where you can meet up with friends and regenerate areas that need your help. Or just pick up a piece of rubbish next time you are at the beach or walking past some mangroves to make a difference!
Fun Fact!
Have you heard of The Pantanal?
The Pantanal is located in Brazil, and is the largest tropical wetland in the world! This amazing ecosystem holds the highest concentration of wildlife on the South American continent. According to the WWF, there are some pretty amazing creatures you can find in this epic wetland – jaguars, hyacinth macaws, giant river otters and marsh deer just to name a few.
