2 Feb (Sat): World Wetlands Day - Wetlands take care of water

2 Feb is World Wetlands Day and in 2013, the theme is "Wetlands take care of water"

Snippet from "Some Dry Facts about Wetlands"
on the Ramsar site.

In Singapore, celebrate this weekend with kids' and family activities at Sungei Buloh and Kranji Marsh!


3 Feb (Sun): NSS Kids' Fun with Water Birds at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Sungei Buloh is arguably Singapore's best-known birdwatching site. Its mangrove mudflats are important feeding grounds for migratory water birds during the northern winter. Join the Education Group as we seek out distinctive birds like the Pacific Golden Plover, Whimbrel, Common Redshank and more. Huge Water Monitor Lizards are a common sight. If we are lucky, we might even see the Smooth Otter, Estuarine Crocodile and Shore Pit Viper.

2 Feb (Sat): Waders' Watch Workshop at Sungei Buloh
The migratory bird season has started and the birds are here at Sungei Buloh! Sungei Buloh is an important bird site for these birds. Every year, thousands of these birds visit Sungei Buloh and other parts of Singapore to find food and shelter during winter in the northern parts of the world. Join in this workshop to know how to identify these amazing birds. Also learn how to Birdwatch and how you can help NParks in studying the migratory patterns of these birds in Singapore.The workshop comprises a lecture and discussion about the birds followed by a field tour to practice identifying migratory shorebirds.

2 Feb (Sat): Birdwatching at Kranji Marsh
Open to the public. From the meeting point, a hired bus will ferry us to our destination. We begin with a pleasant stroll along a countryside road to the Kranji Marshes where we will continue our walk along the PUB Bund. The marsh is designated by URA as a Nature Park and is currently adopted by NSS under PUB's ABC Waters Programme. Birding highlights here include the Red-wattled Lapwing, Purple Swamphen, Rusty-breasted Cuckoo, White-browed Crake, Changeable Hawk Eagle, Grey-headed Fish Eagle and more.

What is World Wetlands Day about?

From the RAMSAR website

World Wetlands Day marks the date of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar; thus also called the Ramsar Convention.

Each year, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and groups of citizens at all levels of the community take this opportunity to raise public awareness of wetland values and benefits in general and the Ramsar Convention in particular.

What is the Ramsar Convention?

The Ramsar Convention's mission is "the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world".

What is World Wetlands Day 2013 about?

Wetlands take care of water: reflects the interdependence between water and wetlands and the key role that wetlands play. Wisely using our wetlands is an essential component of the delivery of sustainable water management.

Check out the World Wetlands Day 2013 leaflet which paints the big picture, who manages water, the many challenges and what we can do.

The water footprint of some food: cocoa has a huge footprint!
from the World Wetlands Day 2013 leaflet

More about Ramsar sites on the wild shores of singapore blog.

• What are the criteria for classifying Ramsar sites?
• What is the status of the Ramsar convention?
• Does Singapore have a Ramsar site?