Reed cormorants rest in India’s mangroves. Photo by Samakshi Tiwari / CIFOR-ICRAF

Not all ecosystems are judged equal, and our planet’s eye-catching ‘crowd favourites’—tropical rainforests, coral reefs and glaciers—often occupy a disproportionate amount of conservation effort and concern. 

Earth’s wide array of wetlands, meanwhile—which includes marshes, swamps, peatlands, mangrove forests, bogs, fens, saltmarshes, estuaries, and more—tends to receive few accolades. Ambivalence to these ecosystems often emerges in our language: in English, for instance, one might speak of being ‘bogged down’, ‘swamped’ or ‘mired’ when stuck. Few of the adjectives we use to describe them are flattering: ‘soggy’, ‘damp’ and ‘murky’ are some that come immediately to mind. For most of us, the notion of a holiday in the wetlands conjures far less exciting images than that of a beach or forest. These are not the places to have picnics.

Yet an ecosystem’s level of appeal to humans is often a poor indicator of its contributions to our planetary systems and for wetlands, this seems particularly the case. The stagnation and decay that often characterize these ecosystems is a process that sequesters huge and critical amounts of carbon: they currently stash over 30% of total planetary soil carbon on just 6% of land surface area.

A recent study by the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) and partners shows that these forgotten ecosystems may mitigate more than half of Southeast Asia’s land-based greenhouse gas emissions when appropriately managed.

Our planet’s wetlands are also extremely biologically rich, providing a unique habitat for a diverse range of flora and fauna. This includes a swathe of endangered species, including charismatic mammals like orangutans (Pongo spp.) and tigers (Panthera tigris), migratory water birds like whooping cranes (Grus americana), and a vast number of reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects.

Wetlands’ worth has not always been underemphasized. Thousands of years ago, Central America’s Mayan people built raised gardens above the waterlogged soil and cultivated complex, highly productive polycultures there that could withstand droughts. Rice, one of the planet’s staple crops, evolved in the wetlands of the Yangtze River Basin. Throughout the muddy mangrove forests of Southeast Asia, shrines and sacred sites speak to the cultural significance of these spaces. 

Gathering mussels from mangrove roots in Karang Sewu. Photo by Aulia Erlangga / CIFOR-ICRAF

To this day, many of us also rely on wetlands more than we realise. They cycle and purify water and act as nurseries for fish and other edible species. Wetlands protect human communities from flooding, storm surges and sea level rise and provide a wide range of nature-based services. Their contributions are particularly critical in developing countries, where governmental assistance is more scarce and climate impacts can be most intense.

But despite these contributions, our wetlands face multiple threats. Since 1700, approximately 87% of the world’s wetlands have been lost, with 64% of this loss occurring since 1900. Between 1970 and 2015, there was a 35% reduction in global wetland area, indicating that wetlands are disappearing three times faster than forests.

Land-use change is the biggest driver of wetland degradation. Economic development, which continually requires new lands to drain and claim for agriculture, urban expansion and infrastructure projects (such as roads, housing and industrial zones). Agriculture alone has damaged over half of the world’s Ramsar Convention-designated Wetlands of International Importance. Coastal wetlands are often filled in for tourism development and aquaculture operations: in Southeast Asia, for instance, many mangrove forests have been converted to shrimp farms. This kind of development also contributes to global warming, which in turn has further impacts on wetlands, affecting water availability, salinity and erosion rates.

World Wetlands Day (2 February) reminds us that we must work to protect the planet’s remaining wetlands–and restore those that are already degraded, too. Generations to come need these unique ecosystems, which have to be protected right now.

Governments can play their part by expanding the number and reach of protected wetlands, designating them as national parks, nature reserves, or Ramsar sites. Integrating wetlands into national climate and water policies, in ways that acknowledge and make the most of their essential roles in flood control, carbon storage, and biodiversity conservation, is also critical to ensure they receive the oversight and consideration they deserve. Policies should be tailored to limit water extraction and unsustainable harvest of wetland species and to regulate agricultural runoff and the dumping of pollutants. It’s also critical to clarify local communities’ priorities in wetland areas and support customary use and sustainable livelihood activities whilst limiting destructive practices and large-scale land use change.

 And the rest of us? We can play our part in World Wetlands Day—and throughout the year—by joining or organizing a local wetland cleanup, supporting and learning about wetland conservation activities, getting involved in citizen science projects that bring us in contact with wetland-dwelling species—like the Great Backyard Bird Count—, and advocating for stronger wetland conservation policies at all levels of government. This last point may be particularly relevant in the leadup to the triennial Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP15) taking place in Zimbabwe in July. 

Whether or not you’re a fan of getting your feet wet, the wetlands in your world are probably more interesting and important than you realize. Let’s see if we can win them the care and attention that they deserve.