The world has lost 35% of its wetlands over the past 50 years.
Wetlands are the most valuable environmental regions following rainforests. The natural structure of a wetland allows for a fertile landscape where all sorts of species can thrive. It also acts as a self-cleaning mechanism and carbon trap for polluted waters. Wetlands, known for having the richest and most productive ecosystems on Earth, also contribute to their local communities' livelihoods. Thus it is just as vital to protect these sorts of environments for the sake of their human populations as well as in order to maintain biodiversity and to battle the climate crisis. Over the last 50 years, we have lost 35% of the world's wetland regions. Many people and living creatures survive off of the bounty of the wetlands which is why it's becoming increasingly important to implement safeguarding measures. Without these measures, it's nearly certain that we will lose what is left of these areas. On this February 2nd, World Wetlands Day, we would like to spread awareness about the importance of wetlands to our planet’s environmental and economic benefit.
To properly introduce the concept of a wetland, we will refer to the definition established by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. The convention defines wetlands as ‘swamps, morasses, meadows, or bogs subsumed by water with low tide levels not exceeding six meters that are natural or man-made, permanent or temporary, still or streaming, fresh or saltwater’. There are currently 2400 regions named as distinct wetlands and 106 of those wetlands can be found in Türkiye. Upon reviewing human archaeology from past to present, particularly before the common era, it’s clear that many settlements were strategically built close to the types of areas that are classified today as wetlands. It’s clear that majority of populations saw the remarkable value of–and chose to settle near–these wetlands because of their freshwater roots, their access to resources endemic to the wetlands (salt production, fishing, etc.), their aid in providing fertile grounds for agricultural and farming areas, and their abundant potential for tourism.
More recently, the burdens caused by humans on the remaining wetlands have become impossible to ignore because of the amount of damage incurred. Some of these burdens include wetland pollution, desiccation, reconfiguration, commercial traffic, and tourism-related traffic.
Dr. Kerim Çiçek: The wetlands are our planet’s most valuable inheritance. Sustaining these areas means strengthening the biodiversity of our planet.
Dr. Çiçek, who is a member of the Mediterranean Conservation Society and Scientific and Technical Advisory Board as well as a professor of biology at Ege University, made the following statement in support of wetlands: ‘The wetlands are an irreplaceable home for many aquatic and land-based species. There are so many living creatures that depend on these spaces because they are one of the most fertile habitats in existence. Wetlands are also beneficial when it comes to flood protection, water quality improvement, coastal boundary erosion control, natural resources, and general material goods and recreational activities that improve life satisfaction. They also act as carbon sinks, which are invaluable tools that help reduce carbon emissions. The wetlands are our planet’s most valuable inheritance. Sustaining these areas means strengthening the biodiversity of our planet.’
As members of the Mediterranean Conservation Society, we acknowledge these burdens that many people and living creatures in these wetlands and, in particular, the Azmak Wetlands in Gökova Bay struggle with. We are looking forward to continuing the coastal cleaning efforts that we started with the students from Marmaris last year as our part in the global effort to maintain and develop the wetlands of the world at large.
This post was written with support from Dr. Kerim Çiçek and Akın İzgin.