To undertake actions aimed at raising public awareness of the importance and benefits of wetlands in general and the Ramsar Convention in particular, the World Wetlands Day is going to be celebrated on February 2 (Tuesday) in Pakistan, focussing on the theme ‘Wetland and Tourism’ with a slogan ‘Wetland Tourism: A Great Experience’.
Wetlands are habitats that fall on the environmental spectrum between land and water. Since wetlands lie at the interface of terrestrial and aquatic habitats, they possess a unique mixture of species, conditions, and interactions. As a result, wetlands are among our planet’s most diverse and varied habitats.
Wetlands are defined by the soils, hydrology, and species that occur within them. Wetland soils, also known as hydric soils, are shaped by water. These soils are saturated or even submerged all or part of the year. Hydric soils vary depending on the composition of the soil and water in the area and therefore, wetlands vary greatly throughout the world. It is highly productive communities and provide habitat and food resources for a wide range of species.
Wetlands have a high level of nutrients and coupled with the availability of water they provide ideal habitat for fish, amphibians, shellfish, and insects. Additionally, many birds and mammals rely on wetlands for food, water, breeding grounds, and shelter. The Pakistan Wetlands Programme has been a trend setter in developing a firm base for mainstreaming the values of wetlands across Pakistan. The programme, being implemented by the WWF, World Wide Fund for Nature, Pakistan, is once again announcing the celebration of one of its mega events being held each year on February 2, to mark the date of adoption of the International Convention on Wetlands in Ramsar, Iran in 1971.
Capital Administrative and Development Division (CAAD) Secretary Imtiaz Inayat Elahi will grace the occasion at the Islamabad College for Girls (ICG). The day has been designed to create a sense of awareness among people about the role tourism plays in environments. Wetland tourism has benefits both locally and nationally for people and wildlife – benefits such as stronger economies, sustainable livelihoods, healthy people and thriving ecosystems – an ideal time to start thinking about this precious source!
The value of forests and wetlands cannot be undermined in today’s world of climate uncertainty and global warming. These natural systems not only provide vital sinks for green house gases but also present a unique ecosystem that supports a rich population of biodiversity and life. Healthy forested wetlands provide the necessary boost to fight off the threats that pose to degrade our environment. It is in this context that the Pakistan Wetlands Program intends to emphasis on creating awareness about the vital connectivity that exist between forests, wetlands and us.
With their natural beauty and biodiversity wetlands make ideal locations for tourism. The income can be significant and support livelihoods locally and nationally. Wetlands provide other ‘services’, too, such as water, food, water purification, erosion control ,etc., for the benefit of tourists and tourist accommodation. The income generated by tourism for national and local economies in and around wetlands can be substantial. Unsustainable tourism may bring short-term benefits but long-term losses to wetland health, compromising ecosystem services and sometimes local livelihoods. It is worth noting that tourism is one of the many services that wetlands deliver.
Ensuring well-managed tourism practices in and around wetlands and educating tourists on the value of wetlands contributes to their health and the long-term benefits that wetlands provide to people, wildlife, economics, and biodiversity.
According to experts, sustainable tourism should make optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element in tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural resources and biodiversity.
“Respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities, conserve their built and living cultural heritage and traditional values, and contribute to inter-cultural understanding and tolerance,” the experts said while talking to Pakistan Today.
They said the government and other stakeholders should ensure viable, long-term economic operations, providing socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders that are fairly distributed, including stable employment and income-earning opportunities and social services to host communities, and contributing to poverty alleviation.
Pakistan Wetlands Programme Awareness Raising and Communication Coordinator Nasir Iqbal Malik said it was in this context that the Pakistan Wetlands Programme intended to emphasis on creating awareness about the vital connectivity that exist between tourism, wetlands and humans. “The event being celebrated in Islamabad will engage more than 3,000 students from around sixty five local public and private schools. This campaign also runs in Islamabad, Gilgit, Chitral, Khabbeki Khushab, Kot Addu, Faisalabad, Lahore, Sukkur, Keenjhar Lake, Gwadar and other towns and villages of Pakistan,” he said. A range of activities have been organised to enable the students to express their views on the subject through arts, debate, play and poetry competitions, among other activities. This event would serve as a knowledge sharing avenue where students along with their families and friends will have the opportunity to exchange their views and also learn from environmental experts about the significance of forests and wetlands.
