World Wetlands Day on Feb. 2 highlights wetlands' role for climate and communities

World Wetlands Day is observed on Feb. 2 and marks the 1971 Convention on Wetlands; Canadian groups say wetlands store large amounts of carbon and are declining in many developed areas.

World Wetlands Day falls on Feb. 2 and marks the anniversary of the 1971 Convention on Wetlands. The day is intended to raise awareness about wetlands and their multiple roles in ecosystems and communities. Canadian conservation organizations, including Ducks Unlimited Canada and the Nature Conservancy of Canada, have highlighted the condition and benefits of wetlands ahead of the day. They describe wetlands as important carbon stores that support wildlife, reduce flood severity and help stabilize shorelines. Key facts: - World Wetlands Day is observed on Feb. 2 and commemorates the 1971 international treaty, the Convention on Wetlands. - Ducks Unlimited Canada reports that up to 70 percent of wetlands have been lost in developed areas of Canada, and that Canada contains about 25 percent of the world's remaining wetlands. - Wetland plants absorb carbon and much of that carbon becomes locked in wetland soils; an estimated square metre of boreal peatland stores about five times more carbon than a square metre of tropical Amazon rainforest. - Threats cited include agriculture, urban expansion and climate change, with rising temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns affecting wetland species and the services wetlands provide. - Ducks Unlimited Canada is conducting modelling in the boreal forest to predict where wetlands may form or disappear under future climate scenarios, and is premiering a documentary called Mission to Marsh on Feb. 2. Summary: Wetlands are presented as significant for carbon storage, biodiversity and community resilience, while also facing loss in many populated regions. Ongoing modelling work and the documentary premiere are described as part of efforts to better understand and communicate upcoming changes to wetlands.