World Wetlands Day, February 2, 2011
GUYANA joins with the rest of the world in celebrating World Wetlands Day
which is celebrated on February 2, marking the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands which took place on February 2, 1971,   in Ramsar, Iran.  The theme
for this year’s celebration is centred on wetlands and forests, specially chosen because 2011 is the UN International Year   of Forests. Wetlands are known as a unique and one of the most ecologically diverse and important ecosystems. Among the important   environmental services they render
are regulation of river flows; vital sources of fresh water; as a filter for pollutants and home to some of the richest   reservoirs of biodiversity on the planet.
Wetlands have a high level of nutrients and coupled with the availability of water, they provide an ideal habitat for fish,  amphibians, shellfish, and insects. Additionally, many birds and mammals, including human beings, rely on wetlands for   food, water, breeding grounds, and shelter.

The theme this year highlights the delicate and intimate linkage between forests and wetlands. Forests play a critical role   in the global hydrological cycle, regulating the quantity and quality of freshwater in the earth’s gigantic system. In   essence, water, wetlands and forests are constantly interacting to produce healthy and productive ecosystems.

Guyana possesses large areas of forested and non-forested wetlands. Forested wetlands include our extensive mangrove forests which can be found along the country’s shorelines, inland, and riverine areas; vast swamplands; areas around water catchments such as the conservancies,   and along the floodplain of rivers and streams.

Forests and wetlands are key resources in national economies and vital to national development. Providing a vast array of   goods and services, they are the source of livelihoods and well-being for our local and global community.

Like forests, wetlands play a significant role in mitigating and adaptation to climate change. They sequester carbon in a   complex interplay of carbon
capture and greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the Ramsar Secretariat 2002, wetlands account for about one-third of terrestrial carbon stores. The Ramsar   Convention is the international convention for the protection of wetlands. The total surface area of designated Ramsar   sites to date is 186,963,216 hectares. As an effective adaptation mechanism against the impacts of climate change, wetlands   act as the earth’s natural sponge – absorbing large volumes of precipitation and run-off, thus being an effective flood   prevention mechanism, a buffer against storms and as a source of food.

Given these facts, it is important that the world at large recognizes and protects forests and wetlands.

The various water management entities in the MOA, such as the NDIA, wishes to recognize the special role of these wetlands, forested and non-forested, such as helping to regulate our water resources   and very importantly to combat climate change.

The ministry’s NDIA has embarked on key initiatives which will have a direct effect on protecting and preserving wetland   watershed areas, such as the conservancies, through a number of projects such as the Conservancy Adaptation Project (CAP)   and the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) northern relief channel at Hope/Dochfour.

Through President Bharrat Jagdeo’s global environmental leadership and Guyana’s historic Low Carbon Development Strategy   (LCDS), Guyana’s forests will continue to be sustainably managed, directly ensuring that the delicate balance between forests and wetlands is   sustained. Respective agencies will play a pivotal role in the improvement of drainage and irrigation in interior areas such as the Canje Basin, which consists primarily of swamplands.

The MOA takes this opportunity to encourage various sectors of society to undertake actions aimed at raising public awareness of wetland values and vulnerability, since these areas are highly productive communities which provide habitat and food resources for a wide range of species.

In the spirit of the World Wetlands day slogan, “Forests for water and wetlands”, the MOA wishes to reaffirm its commitment to protecting our forests and for the sustainable management of Guyana’s wetlands.