The «Convention on Wetlands of International Importance», which was signed in Ramsar (Iran) on the 2nd of February 1971 and came into force on the 21st of December 1975, aims at the conservation of wetlands and aquatic birds, through their identification and delimitation, the study of their characteristic aspects and the implementation of management plans that will permit their conservation and valorization.

The objectives of the Ramsar Convention are:

- the registration of wetlands of international importance in a list that can be consistently enlarged or reduced;

- the elaboration and implementation of programmes that favour a rational management of wetlands within the territories of the Contracting Parties;

- the creation of nature reserves in the wetlands, regardless of their inclusion or not in the list;

- the promotion of research, data exchange and related publications on wetlands, their flora and fauna;

- the increase, through pertinent and appropriate management, in the number of aquatic birds, invertebrates, fish and other species, as well as of the floristic species;

- the promotion of conferences;

- the evaluation of the effect of human activities in the zones bordering the wetlands, which will allow eco-compatible activities to take place;

According to Article 1 of the Ramsar Convention, wetlands are defined as: “areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres”.
From the ecological point of view, wetlands are considered as the richest ecosystems in living organisms, but, due to their intrinsic nature they are extremely vulnerable. Their evolution is indeed associated in general with the variation of water fluctuation in the streams and thus, any changes of these fluctuations, even slight ones, can induce a rapid extinction of plant and animal species that are characterized by their particular physiological adaptations.

Photo (from the left) : marshland vegetation in Simeto (Catania) and the marsh of Gurna (Mascali, Catania), (© 2005 Giovanni Spampinato - DBUC).

The importance of the Ramsar Convention does not only reside in the recognition of the interdependence of Man and his environment, but also in the fact that the value of wetlands has been appreciated. These areas are indeed of fundamental importance for certain ecological functions such as the regulation of the water regime and the preservation of such particular habitats for the flora and fauna.

The Contracting Parties of the Ramsar Convention recognize the importance of discontinuing the progressive invasion of Man and the destruction of wetlands and that, for this purpose, it is essential to follow a perceptive national policy co-ordinating with international actions.

For more detailed information on Ramsar Convention