Background

All kinds of ecosystems provide us many benefits, now known as ecosystem services. Whereas some of these services can be easily valued in monetary terms, others are not so readily appreciated. Among them the most prominent are the Cultural Services which include Recreation and Ecotourism, Aesthetics, and Spiritual and Religious values. Wetland ecosystems are the largest provider of these cultural services. Rivers, waterfalls, lakes, reservoirs, marshes, sea beaches, lagoons, and even the village ponds are the most desirable and most visited areas for recreation (bathing, swimming, diving, boating, canoeing, sport fishing, bird watching, sunbathing and/or simply enjoying the landscape) and tourism. Wetlands are the only habitats where thousands of migratory birds flock together providing a spectacular breathtaking view. Unless heavily degraded, wetlands invariably contribute to the aesthetics of the ‘landscape’. The near-pristine wetlands at higher altitudes enhance manifold the serene beauty of the Himalayan landscape. Many centuries before the ‘Developed Countries’ realised the values of wetlands, and that too after having drained and transformed them into pastures or urban-industrial lands, the people in Asia in general and South Asia in particular revered them as sacred places, associated them with spiritual and religious activities. Even today, wetlands are of special significance in socio-cultural and religious activities in South Asia.

In recognition of these cultural services of wetland ecosystems, the Ramsar Convention has chosen "Wetlands and Tourism” as the theme for the World Wetland Day 2012. The central theme of the 11th Conference of the Contracting Parties of the Convention (Bucharest, Romania; 19-26 June 2012) is also Wetlands, Tourism and Recreation.

We prefer the term Ecotourism which is defined as:
“Ecotourism is responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and sustains the well-being of local people” (International Ecotourism Society).

It is but natural and most appropriate that India takes the lead in celebrating the World Wetland Day to highlight the social, cultural and spiritual values of wetlands. India has the oldest tradition of conserving and even creating wetlands where the socio-cultural values are integrated with those for conserving biodiversity.

Venue