February 2015

On Feb. 2, 1971, an intergovernmental treaty called the Ramsar Convention was adopted. Named for the Iranian city in which its adoption occurred, the convention came into force in 1975 to provide a framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. (You can learn more about the Ramsar Convention here.)

Today, almost 90 per cent of UN member states – including Canada – are considered “contracting parties.” Contracting parties implement the Ramsar Convention and collaborate on shared projects. More than 2,000 wetlands across the globe (37 in Canada) are currently...