opinion

Human existence and activities are inconceivable apart from the natural environment.

One of the environmental resources important in protecting and improving the natural environment is wetland called “infrastructure” of the earth.

Areas where the surface of water is equal to or similar to the ground in height or where the land is permanently or periodically submerged are called wetlands.

Wetland is one of the habitats with the richest global biodiversity, which provides bases for people and a large number of endangered species and places for freshwater creatures to rely on. It also helps meet the demand for water in urban life and ensure the water balance of relevant regions, including water cycle and groundwater recharge. Besides, it has the characteristics of absorbing and slowly discharging heat and cold, thus serving the functions of environmental protection such as controlling urban climate and purifying water and the atmosphere.

However, over 80% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared due to excessive deforestation, various development activities, excessive accumulation of chemicals in soil, and abnormal climate phenomena, posing serious threat to the conservation of the ecological environment of the earth and the existence of mankind.

This is why different countries and regions in the world annually organize various events on the occasion of February 2, World Wetlands Day, to give people a correct understanding of the functions and role of wetlands in order to ensure the restoration of the global wetlands and their sustainable future. They also call for taking urgent measures and positive actions for the protection of wetlands and conduct diverse activities to arouse the interest of the international community. 

Our country conducts various activities to protect and manage wetlands better, including survey and study of wetland ecosystem, establishment and management of wetland reserves and rational use of wetland resources, as well as the afforestation, which is an important factor in wetland conservation. 

Meanwhile, various projects, including the research into ecological activities of migratory birds in the west and east coasts of Korea, the major stopovers and habitats of such birds, are under way. And the major wetland areas of importance and significance in the world have been selected as migratory bird and wetland reserves and their protection and management are intensified. According to data available, many species of migratory birds, which are regarded as rare and endangered species in the world, use the wetlands of our country as their major habitats.

The theme of World Wetlands Day in 2025 is “Protecting wetlands for our common future”.

It is an important task of all mankind to actively protect the wetlands that promote the sustainable development of geoecology and the well-being of people.

Ho Un Ju, staffer of the Central Committee of the Nature Conservation Union of Korea