By Yasmin Popescu

yasmin@nasguard.com

Every year on February 2, World Wetlands Day is celebrated and this year the Ministry of Tourism's Eco/Sustainable Tourism Committee is taking time out to record this day that is very important to the eco system.

World Wetlands Day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on February 2, 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Each year since 1997, the Ramsar Secretariat has provided materials so that government agencies, non-governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations and groups of citizens can help raise public awareness about the importance and value of wetlands.

This year, 2012 the theme is Wetlands and Tourism and is linked to the theme for the next meeting of the Conference of the Parties, COP11: Wetlands, Tourism and Recreation which will take place in July 2012 in Bucharest, Romania.

Wetland tourism has benefits both locally and nationally for people and wildlife – benefits such as stronger economies, sustainable livelihoods, heal-thy people and thriving ecosystems.

At least 35 percent of Ramsar Sites around the world record some level of tourism activity and this percentage is consistent throughout all regions. Of course it is important to consider tourism in all wetlands – not just those designated as Ramsar Sites – since the Contracting Parties to the Convention are committed to managing all wetlands.

It is worth noting that tourism is only one of the services that wetlands deliver. Ensuring well-managed tourism practices in and around wetlands and educating tourists on the value of wetlands contributes to the health of the world's wetlands and the long-term benefits that wetlands provide to people, wildlife, economics, and biodiversity.

To date, the Ramsar Convention has not had a specific focus on wetlands, tourism and recreation.

This of course would be a lot of focus on the present kayaking in the mangroves, which is one of the wetlands being featured during this day. It is a tourism-focused wetland.

As part of the celebrations there are free tours at the Lucayan National Park today, Thursday, and on Saturday, February 4 for tourists.

Also in the schools information will be distributed from Earthcare telling about wetlands.

On ZNS there is already a program by the Bahamas National Trust that is being aired.