
In the Year for Wetlands – 2021, protected areas of the Amur basin launched a campaign to protect rivers, lakes and swamplands
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, WWF Russia announced 2021 as the Year for Wetlands in the Amur-Heilong River basin. The Coordination Council of Protected Areas in the Southern Far East and the Amur Coalition of NGOs are actively involved in this campaign.
The main task in the Year for Wetlands WWF-Russia sees the adoption at the national level the procedure for establishing wetlands of international importance in Russia. It is also planned, with the help of partner organizations, to conduct an inventory of Ramsar sites in the Amur ecoregion, to assess the existing threats, and to start developing management plans for these territories. Work will continue on the study and preservation of rare bird species inhabiting wetlands, primarily cranes and storks. And, of course, special attention will be paid to informing people about the huge role of wetlands in maintaining the stability of the entire biosphere in order to change their attitude towards supposedly "unnecessary" wetlands.
On February 2, WWF-Russia launched the International Contest of Children Paintings “Wetlands for Life” on the AmurInfoCenter portal of the Amur-Heilong Ecoregion for children from 5 to 18 years old from Russia, China and Mongolia. The competition provides for a special nomination "The Amazing World of Swamps", which is organized directly by nature reserves and national parks. A trip to settlements and an interregional photo exhibition of protected areas “Guardians of Life. Wetlands of the Amur River Basin”. Each reserve and national park in its own original and unique way opened the Year for Wetlands in its region.