Wetlands and Human Wellbeing

World Wetlands Day (WWD) marks the adoption of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, an international treaty that recognizes the importance of wetlands! This WWD will focus on the interconnected nature of human wellbeing and wetland health!

The Wetland Knowledge Exchange has developed an infographic that highlights the wellbeing benefit of wetlands.

Physical

Wetlands benefit our physical health by serving as landscapes for recreation and exercise. From bird watching to hiking, these areas provide people with opportunities to connect with nature while promoting a healthy and active lifestyle.

Environmental

Wetlands improve how we view our environment by playing a pivotal role in capturing carbon and fostering biodiversity. They are a major player in the regulation of the global water cycle, so they contribute significantly to maintaining balanced and healthy ecosystems. They also act as nature's kidney, purifying water and providing clean fresh water for humans and wildlife to use.

Emotional

Maund et al. (2019) found that spending time in wetlands showed significant improvements in mental health across a range of indicators. The serene landscapes and diverse flora and fauna contribute to stress alleviation, mood improvement, and an overall enhancement of emotional health. Wetlands are nature's therapy, providing solace to those seeking refuge from the hustle and bustle of modern life.

Economic

Wetlands play a crucial role in economic stability by serving as natural buffers against extreme weather events. They hold water during large rainfall events, preventing flooding, and gradually release it, mitigating the effects of drought at various times of the year. This protective function helps prevent infrastructure damage, crop desiccation, and soil loss due to erosion. Additionally, constructed wetlands can reduce the cost of wastewater treatment. Furthermore, wetlands can serve as a source of food, providing resources such as fish, waterfowl, berries, and rice.
 

Indigenous

For indigenous communities, wetlands are more than just ecosystems; they are integral to their way of life. Wetlands serve as sources of food, medicine, spirituality, and livelihood, holding deep cultural significance for indigenous people. The Indigenous-Led Conservation Hub on the CCLM connects practitioners and communities to conservation and stewardship work being done by indigenous people across canada.  

Cultural

Wetlands often serve as vital gathering places for communities, becoming focal points for cultural activities and celebrations. These spaces foster a deep connection between communities and nature, reinforcing the importance of conservation efforts to preserve these cultural nexuses for future generations. This case study demonstrates the cultural importance of peatlands for cloudberry picking and the importance of wetland conservation to the continuation of these important traditions.

Although peatlands cover only 3% of the world's land, they store about twice as much carbon as in the biomass of all the world's forests combined. Thus, they are incredibly important especially for the climate and biodiversity. But worldwide more than 10 % of the 500 million hectares of peatlands are already drained, in parts of Central Europe well over 90 %. Every year, another 500,000 hectares of peatlands are destroyed. Drainage turns peatlands into climate killers, since - once drained - they release huge amounts of greenhouse gases - from permafrost in the north to palm oil plantations in Indonesia. With more than two billion tonnes of CO₂, the draining of peatlands is responsible for about 4% of all human-made emissions globally. In addition, drainage is also disastrous for biodiversity. Unique habitats for specially adapted species are being lost. 
This is outlined in the Peatland Atlas 2023 - Facts and figures on wet climate guardians.

It sheds light on the societal perception and history of peatlands, their importance for the global climate and as unique habitats for biodiversity and nature, and their destruction with local and global consequences. It also explains how we can protect peatlands and restore their functionality. It shows the potentials of wet peatlands for climate protection and opportunities for their wet use, called paludiculture, and how decision-makers and society can act now. 

The Peatland Atlas is published by the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, the Michael Succow Stiftung, partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre, and BUND (Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland/Friends of the Earth Germany), with support of the Global Peatlands Initiative.

Here you may also find the German version, the Mooratlas.