World Wetlands Day

World Wetlands Day

It scarcely rains on a dry field! – that is what farmers used to say in the past, in those times when water was everywhere in the landscape. But after the period of intensive drainage of our countryside, the situation has changed and being intensified by climate change, the effect of desiccation amplified. In the Czech Republic, two thirds of wetland areas literally disappeared within the last century due to drainage and so-called cultivation. As a result, almost everywhere in our country, water can be found only in short supply.

Now when it is well known that wetlands are very important for keeping landscape hydrology stable, it is time to make better decisions for all of us. Time to restore and preserve these unique biotopes which are home to many rare vegetal and animal species. Sometimes it is simple to such extent that the only thing to do is to leave a piece of land without intervention at all and the wetland, which used to be there, will spontaneously return.

The LIFE for MIRES project team hopes for more optimistic times for wetlands to come and wishes them all the best on this special Weltands Day.