World Wetlands Day

World Wetlands Day is celebrated on 2 February each year. It marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands in 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea.

 

Each year since 1997, government agencies, non-governmental organisations and groups of citizens have taken advantage of the opportunity to undertake actions aimed at raising public awareness of wetland values and benefits in general, and the Ramsar Convention in particular.

 

2013 is the UN International Year for Water Co-operation and an ideal opportunity for us to look at the connections between water and wetlands. The whole world will be celebrating Wetlands Day through various activities!

 

What will my Department do?

The Department will be celebrating Wetlands in a two day Wetlands Day educational programme at the Cape Agulhas Municipality. The programme is in collaboration with SanParks, Working for Wetlands (WfWet) and Albert Myburgh Secondary School.

 

The following dates should be diarised:

• 31 January 2013 – Educational programme with Albert Myburgh Secondary 

• 01 Feb 2013 at the Salt Pan Wetland- Educational programme with Working for Wetlands team.

 

Some of the activities planned for the day(s) will include:

• Presentations/Talks : Wetlands, Careers  and Job opportunities in Environment, Making connections between water and wetlands

• Guided  Hike/ Walk  – Species Identification Activity in Salt Pan

• Canoe Rides - Wetlands for Tourism and Recreation

• Picking up litter from the Wetland (Time allowing)

 

Get involved and give support to World Wetlands Day on 2 February 2013!