02 Feb 2018 WORLD WETLANDS DAY: FACE PROMOTES WETLAND RESTORATION AND MONITORING

World Wetlands Day is celebrated each year on 2 February to raise global awareness about the important role of wetlands for people and nature, and to promote the conservation and wise use of wetlands.

Unfortunately, many of Europe’s wetlands have been lost or degraded through land use changes, which has led to the decline of many waterbird populations. The next Common Agricultural Policy (post 2020) needs to better support Europe’s biodiversity, including our sensitive wetland habitats.

The FACE Biodiversity Manifesto shows that European hunters are actively involved in managing and creating wetlands. Further, hunters are also engaged in some national monitoring programmes such as the International Waterbird Census, but improved monitoring, which is the foundation for managing and understanding wetlands, is urgently needed.

FACE is using World Wetlands Day to promote better management and monitoring of Europe’s wetlands and waterbirds. One way this can be supported is through the Waterbird Fund, which provides a way to ensure that we have quality data on waterbird populations in Europe. Donations are encouraged through the Waterbird Fund website.