February 2, 2022 – Today we celebrate the World Wetlands DayThis celebration was recognized by the United Nations General Assembly on August 30, 2021 (Resolution 75/317), officially established for February 2. It also marks the anniversary of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, signed on February 2, 1971, in Ramsar, Iran.
Wetlands support a high level of biodiversity, providing feeding, protection, and breeding grounds (critical habitat) for a wide variety of fish, bird, mammal, and invertebrate species. They also offer important ecological services (green and blue infrastructure) to humanity, such as:
- Flood control
- Retention of pollutants
- Clean waters in associated coastal ecosystems
- Coastal protection
- Food source
- Carbon sequestration
- Local climate regulation
- Leisure and recreation
- Education and research opportunities
- Pest control
18% of the land area in the San Juan Bay estuary watershed is made up of wetlands or marshes.
One of the most important wetlands is the Las Cucharillas Swamp, Located in the municipality of Cataño, it occupies approximately 500 hectares. Also, the Piñones State Forest, which contains the largest mangrove forest in all of Puerto Rico, 3,040 hectares or equal to 33% of the entire mangrove area in Puerto Rico.
Urban development in recent decades has led us to cover these soils with impermeable surfaces (soil, sidewalks, and roads made of cement and asphalt), altering their hydrology and thus preventing them from providing essential benefits. Sustainable planning and rehabilitation of these ecosystems helps us reclaim these benefits. Their restoration is also essential for mitigating the effects of climate change.
Learn more about World Wetlands Day here.
