On World Wetlands Day, five provinces of the Russian Far East: Khabarovsky, Primorsky, Zabaikalsky, Amurskaya and Evreiskaya provinces, with the support of WWF-Russia, an environmental education campaign was launched to protect rivers, lakes and swamps. More than 5500 people took part in offline and online events over just one week.

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.

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Dozens of environmental education events took place in the launch of the Year for Wetlands - 2021

Protected Areas of the Amur basin

“The Year for Wetlands has started in all five provinces of the Amur ecoregion. Since February 2, our partners have held dozens of events, in which more than 5500 people took part in offline and online events. The staff of nature reserves and national parks keep pace with the times, despite all the challenges. Thanks to their activity on social networks, information about the huge role of wetlands, which not everyone knows about, is spreading at lightning speed. We will definitely fix this with our friendly team! We have a whole year ahead of us for this: an environmental education campaign dedicated to the Amur wetlands has just begun. You are so welcome to join us! ”- comments Olga Cheblukova, project coordinator on protected areas at WWF-Russia Amur branch.

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.

For additional information please contact

Olga Cheblukova

Project Coordinator of Protected Areas Unit, WWF Russia Amur Branch

Elena Starostina

Press-Officer

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