Wetlands Conservation

Wetlands Conservation Wetlands are complex ecosys­tems, and encompass a wide range of inland, coastal and marine habitats. They share the characteristics of both wet, and dry environments and show immense diversity based on their genesis, geographical location, hydrological regimes, and substrate factors. They include flood plains, swamps, marshes, tidal marshes, etc.

According to the Ramsar Convention, wetlands are areas of marsh fen, peat land or water, whether artificial or natural, permanent or temporary, with the water static or flowing, brackish or salt, including marine areas, depth of which does not exceed 6 metre. As such mangroves, corals, estuaries, creeks, bays. sea grasses and lakes, etc. are covered under this definition.

India's wetlands are distributed in different geographi­cal regions. They occur in the cold arid zone of Ladakh, the wet humid climate of Imphal, the warm arid zone of Rajasthan, tropical monsoonic central India, and the wet humid zone of the southern peninsula. Most of the wet­lands are linked, directly or indirectly, with the major river systems such as Ganga, Brahmaputra, Narmada, Godavari, Krishna and Cauvery.
The scheme on conservation and management of wetlands was started in 1987 with the objective of under­taking a comprehensive study of important wetlands rep­resenting different ecosystems. A National Committee on Wetlands, Mangroves and Coral Reefs was constituted to' lay down broad policy guidelines for implementing the programme and identifying wetlands for intensive conser­vation, management and research.

The main activities under the National Wetland Con­servation Programme are: formulation and implementation of management action plans for priority wetlands; promo­tion of research activities relating to environmental issues and management of wetlands on\ sound econological basis; assessment of wetland resources in India and their loss in time series; identification of wetlands of national impor­tance; international collaboration; monitoring and evalua­tion. Activities under the action plans include survey and demarcation, protection, afforestation, natural regenera­tion, restoration, catchment area treatment, pollution con­trol, weed control, wildlife conservation, sustainable fish­eries development, environmental education, and certain eco-development activities through peoples' participation.