World Wetlands Day is February 2nd

by Bob Montgomery 

World Wetlands Day takes place this Sunday, February 2nd and the theme for this year is ‘Protecting wetlands for our common future’ with a message to ‘value, protect and inspire.’

Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) Wetlands Specialist Angela Van Niekerk says 172 countries have signed the international treaty dedicated to managing and protecting wetlands of International Importance. World Wetlands Day marks the day the Convention on Wetlands was adopted on February 2, 1971 in the city of Ramsar, Iran.

There are 37 Ramsar wetland sites in Canada. Ontario has Point Pelee, St. Clair, Long Point, Minesing Swamp, Matchedash Bay, Mer Bleue Conservation Area, Southern James Bay, and Polar Bear Provincial Park.

Van Niekerk says they like to take a minute on World Wetlands Day to thank landowners for protecting the wet properties they have as well as thanking people for planting native species and enhancing what they have and doing some wetland restoration. This year they did 23 wetland restorations. In the past, they've averaged about ten a year and that's up a little since COVID, but 23 is exceptional. She says that's due, in part, to landowners having larger properties and a bit more space to work with. It's amazing how fast the local dragonflies, turtles, frogs and birds move into the constructed wetlands, once the habitat is provided. 

Since 2008, Ausable Bayfield Conservation has helped more than one hundred local landowners create more than 150 wetlands over 950 acres. Last autumn, local landowner Phil McNamee and ABCA restored a wetland at Serenity Nature Reserve on Corbett Line next to the ABCA Mahon Tract. This wetland was created in a 1.5-acre field and will provide benefits of water storage during flooding events and reduce sediment to the municipal drain, Parkhill Creek, and Lake Huron at Grand Bend. This area will be a lively emergent marsh providing habitat for many birds and other animals.

If you think a wetland may enhance your property, call Ausable Bayfield Conservation to arrange a site visit and to find out about financial incentives to make your project possible. Van Niekerk says staff make it easy for landowners to do these projects with little or no paperwork.