NICHES celebrates World Wetlands Day 2023!

Today is World Wetlands Day! 

NICHES celebrates this day aimed at boosting efforts in wetlands restoration and improving the state of nature and society. Wetlands are valuable as their capability to provide and filter the water supply, protect from storms and floods, and store cardon have an immense positive impact on biodiversity and the health of various ecosystems. 

On February 2 in 1971 the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) was adopted in the Iranian city Ramsar and today numbers 172 membership countries. The Convention was created so as to monitor the responsible use of wetlands' resources and to revert their rapid disappearance. This is why the World Wetlands Day is celebrated on this day annually. 

This year's theme is wetlands restoration, signaling the urgent need to focus on the declining state of global wetlands. The emphasis is on the importance of ripple effects for bringing about an impactful change.

In cities, wetlands such as rivers or lakes replenish drinking water, protect from floods, and provide urban green spaces. The also improve water quality, control shoreline erosion, and provide opportunities for recreation and aesthetic appreciation by water bodies. 

NICHES joins today's discourse in re-stating its commitment to work towards and improved state of wetlands for the betterment of natural and urban ecosystems.