World Wetlands Day(WWD) is a worldwide campaign that highlights the vital role of wetlands as diverse and productive ecosystems. Observed every 2nd of February, this campaign urges countries and individuals around the globe to take action in safeguarding these precious habitats. It serves as a reminder that healthy wetlands are crucial for the wellbeing and survival of all life on Earth. This year’s theme, “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future,” emphasizes the urgent need for decisive efforts to preserve wetlands, ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy the many benefits these ecosystems offer.
Wetlands are among the most valuable and biodiverse ecosystems on Earth, providing a wealth of benefits to both the environment and human society. Spanning more than 12.1 million square kilometers globally, wetlands serve as crucial habitats for a variety of plant and animal species. These ecosystems, whether freshwater or saltwater, coastal or inland, natural or human-made, play an integral role in maintaining the balance of our planet’s ecological systems. Yet, despite their immense value, wetlands face increasing threats from human activity, climate change, and pollution. Preserving these unique ecosystems is not just important for the wildlife that depends on them; it’s essential for the health of the entire planet, including migratory birds that rely on them during their long journeys.
Wetlands as Crucial Bird Habitats
Wetlands are vital for numerous species of birds, particularly migratory ones that traverse vast distances in search of food, rest, and safe breeding grounds. Many migratory birds rely heavily on wetlands as essential stopover points during their travels along established migration routes known as flyways. These migration corridors connect critical habitats across continents, and wetlands provide the perfect environment for birds to rest, refuel, and recover from long journeys.
A great example of this can be seen in wader species like the Red Knot(Calidris canutus), Asian Dowitcher(Limnodromus semipalmatus), Far Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis), Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica), etc. The Bar-tailed Godwit is particularly remarkable for its non-stop, 12,000-kilometer migration from Alaska to New Zealand along the East Asian−Australasian Flyway. During its journey, the Bar-tailed Godwit depends on wetlands such as the Yellow Sea tidal flats to forage for crustaceans, replenish energy reserves, and rest before continuing its journey. Without these wetlands, the bird would be unable to complete its migration, highlighting just how crucial these ecosystems are to the survival of migratory species.
The Interdependence Between Birds and Wetlands
Wetlands provide more than just shelter and resting places for birds; they are ecosystems in which various species, including birds, plants, and invertebrates, are intricately interconnected. For instance, the same wetlands that support migratory birds also help sustain the local food web by providing a habitat for organisms like crustaceans, which are a vital food source for many bird species. These organisms, in turn, help to maintain the health of the wetland by filtering water, controlling algae growth, and breaking down organic matter.
By feeding on these crustaceans and other small creatures, birds play a crucial role in maintaining the health of wetlands. Their foraging behaviour helps regulate the population of these organisms, which can impact the overall balance of the ecosystem. Furthermore, the waste produced by birds can act as a natural fertilizer, enriching the soil and supporting plant growth, which in turn provides more food and habitat for other species.
Wetlands and the Global Flyway Network
The conservation of wetlands is not simply about protecting isolated patches of biodiversity; it’s about preserving entire migration networks that span continents. Many bird species, such as shorebirds, waterfowl, and waders, depend on a vast network of wetlands that stretches across multiple countries. If one link in this chain of wetlands is damaged, it can disrupt the entire migration route, endangering bird populations and threatening their survival.
The Chief Executive of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP), Ms. Jennifer George, shared her message in celebration of World Wetlands Day:
“Migratory birds serve as a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of wetlands across vast distances relying on them as vital stopover sites for rest, refuelling, and nesting. By protecting wetlands, we ensure the continued survival of these magnificent creatures and ultimately benefitting our own health and wellbeing.”
-Jennifer George, Chief Executive, East Asian−Australasian Flyway Partnership-
For more information, read below(World Wetlands Day 2025 Campaign Toolkit) or visit here.
How it started
On 2 February 1997, people from across the globe celebrated the very first World Wetlands Day – paying tribute to the inherent value of these precious environments. But the day’s historical significance dates back even further. On 2 February 1971, in Ramsar, Iran, along the shores of the Caspian Sea, the world’s first modern global multilateral environmental agreement – the Convention on Wetlands – was signed and adopted as an international treaty. Today, the Convention counts 172 countries in its membership, officially known as Contracting Parties. Each is committed to the conservation and wise, sustainable use of wetlands in their countries.
Why it matters
Life thrives in wetlands, and human life depends on them. Wetlands provide the home or breeding ground of many endangered and threatened species. And a multitude of endemic plants and animals can only survive in certain wetland locations. Beyond the clean water and food that wetlands provide, they help protect against natural disasters by mitigating the impact of storm surges, floods and droughts. By absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in their soil and biomass, wetlands make the planet more resilient to climate change. Economically, people depend on wetlands for livelihoods in agriculture, tourism and recreation. And these ecosystems are tied to long-standing cultural practices that enable human societies to use nature in a sustainable way so they can thrive. Yet, wetlands remain among the most threatened ecosystems.
Who’s involved
This unifying global campaign involves the entire world. It’s a chance for all nations to come together in advocacy for our planet’s wetlands. The Secretariat of the Convention organizes the World Wetlands Day campaign each year, with Contracting Parties taking part. But the effort includes people from all over the world, governments, national and international conservation and sustainability organizations, businesses, non-governmental organizations, media, and youth and other stakeholder groups. The United Nations also participates. In 2021, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution that established 2 February as World Wetlands Day, encouraging all 193 UN member states to get involved. World Wetlands Day 2025 is of particular significance, as it coincides with the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands (COP15). Every three years, representatives of the governments of each of the Contracting Parties meet to facilitate crucial discussions on the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands and to agree on a work program for the next three years. Zimbabwe is the global conservation arena for COP15 – scheduled for 23-31 July 2025 in Victoria Falls under the same theme as World Wetlands Day 2025: “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future.” The Republic of Zimbabwe, Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry is the key partner for both COP15 and World Wetlands Day 2025.