Wetlands (INSPIRE Harmonised)

Wetlands are the wet nature reserves in the Netherlands. The Wetland treaty was signed at Ramsar in Iran on February 2, 1971. The Netherlands was one of the 16 countries that signed the treaty. In 1980, the Netherlands ratified the Convention. The Ramsar Convention is one of the oldest international treaties on nature. In the meantime, 138 countries have signed the Wetlands Convention (State of August 2004). The purpose of the Ramsar Convention is to protect wetlands and the associated plant and animal species. “Wetlands” or “wet land” is officially defined according to the Ramsar Convention as: ‘Water rich areas, marshes, fens, peat or peat areas, natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water stationary or running, fresh, brackish or salt, including seawater, the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres’. This includes the coastal and coastal areas adjacent to wetlands and islands or seawater areas situated within these areas. There are 44 wetlands in the Netherlands. These wetlands have been placed on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance by the Ramsar Secretariat. An extensive database is maintained by Wetlands International for each area on the list. This database and other information about the Ramsar Convention can be found on the website of the Ramsar Secretariat. In the period between 1980 and 1995, the Netherlands placed eighteen Wetlands on this Ramsar list. In 2000, 26 Wetlands were added again. Countries that accede to the Wetlands Convention have a moral obligation to implement the Ramsar Convention. The provisions are less mandatory and binding than those of European law obligations arising from the Birds and Habitats Directives. The sites selected for these guidelines are called Natura 2000 sites. In the Netherlands all Wetlands (except one) are also Birds Directive site or Natura 2000 site. The role and possibilities of Wetlands are often underestimated. First of all, they have important ecological functions: they are indispensable because of its location on international bird migration routes. Or as a nursery for fish and marine animals. But people also benefit from Wetlands: especially in our densely populated delta. They are used for fishing, recreation/tourism, shipping, water storage (against flooding), drinking water supply or as an attractive residential environment. Dealing with it carefully and taking advantage of opportunities is therefore important. In total, almost one million hectares in the Netherlands are Wetland, which is 27 % of the total area of our country (including territorial waters).