LIFE INSULAR project celebrates World Wetlands Day with a technical visit to the project sites in the Wetland of International Importance of the Maritime-Terrestrial National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia. World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year on February 2, the date that commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the Global Convention on Wetlands, on February 2, 1971, in Ramsar (Iran). In this 2024 edition, the theme to be developed is “Wetlands and human well-being”, with the aim of raising awareness and increasing people's understanding on the critical importance of wetlands.
Although they occupy only 6% of the Earth's surface, wetlands function as important service providers, as they are large reservoirs of fresh water, purify and recharge our aquifers, and provide food and resources to millions of people. Among the regulating ecosystem services are the preservation of our coasts, the natural function of protection against floods and droughts, or the mitigation of the effects of climate change. In fact, throughout history, humanity has depended on wetlands in all parts of the world, deriving sustenance, raw materials and resilience from these natural ecosystems.
Unfortunately, wetlands are disappearing at an alarming rate (three times faster than forests) due to human activities. Over the last 50 years the world has witnessed the loss or degradation of more than 35% of its wetlands. The conservation of biodiversity and services provided by these ecosystems is everyone's task. Big or small, every effort counts. Projects such as LIFE INSULAR contribute to improving the conservation status of key components of wetlands. On an individual basis, this can be achieved by making conscious decisions to combat wetland pollution, collaborating with conservation initiatives, or actively participating in local wetland restoration projects.
