World Wetlands Day, which is observed on 2 February each year, was an extra special occasion for the Western Cape after the Berg River Estuary was declared a Ramsar site.
“By receiving Ramsar status, a wetland receives national and international recognition as a site of ecological importance which supports improved conservation action,” CapeNature explains.
The theme for 2022 was “Wetlands Action for People and Nature”, which highlights the importance of actions to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands for humans and planetary health.
The Berg River Estuary, which is located approximately 130 km north of Cape Town, also forms the core conservation area of the West Coast Biosphere Reserve.
“The conservation of ecosystems and species are dependent on the balance between freshwater and marine water from the ocean entering the estuary. To date, this balance has been maintained, so much so that the overall site has been recognised for its exceptional value in terms of ecosystem and species diversity. The Ramsar site declaration is effectively a global recognition of this,” said Dr Razeena Omar, CapeNature CEO.
The public can also contribute to the protection of wetlands by planting appropriate indigenous plants in natural areas, refraining from littering, making use of recycled products, abstaining from disturbing any indigenous animals in nature, using water sparingly and acting as ambassadors for wetlands within their communities.
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Picture: Shabeer Parker / Instagram