In 2022, the World Wetlands Day is celebrated under the following theme “Wetland’s action for people and nature”.
There are 47 wetlands in India. Their total surface area is 1 million hectares. India has lost 30% of its wetlands in the last thirty years.
Different countries define wetlands differently. India follows Ramsar convention definition of wetlands. Ramsar convention defines wetlands as the natural and manmade sites. This includes reservoirs, tidal flats, marshes, salt pans, swamps, lakes and mangroves. Swamp is land that is permanently saturated with water. It may or may not be covered with water.
The swamps are dominated by the type of trees that grow there. On the other hand, marshes are wetlands that are saturated with water and also covered with water permanently.
Salt pan is formed when sea water evaporates rapidly. It is then replenished by rain water. Tidal flats are coastal wetlands. They are formed in inter tidal areas. Here the sediments are deposited by the rivers or tides.
