Knowledge Nugget: India adds its 100th Ramsar site — Why are wetlands important?

This achievement highlights India’s growing commitment to wetland conservation—but what makes these ecosystems so crucial?

Key takeaways:

1. In 1991, ‘Surha Taal’ was created with the consolidation of the land area of 45 villages of Baansdih in Ballia town area, aggregating to a total of 3432.93 hectares area. In 2002, its name was changed to “Jai Prakash Narain Bird Sanctuary”.

2. It is situated a distance of 10 kms away from the Ballia City area, stretching up to Bhikampur village to its west, Singhauli in the north-east, and bounded by Dulwara Village in the south-east direction. It falls under the jurisdiction of Ballia and Baansdih town area.

3. Surah Taal is a natural perennial oxbow lake which serves as a critical wintering ground for avian species traveling along the Central Asian Flyway. According to UP Eco tourism, it is also a major source of irrigation and groundwater recharge, supporting both wildlife and the nearby farming landscape. During the monsoon, nearly 25,000 hectares get submerged, which creates a vast natural habitat expansion that few wetlands in India can match.

What are wetlands?

1. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands defines wetlands as “areas of marsh, fen, peat land or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters.”

2. However, the Indian government’s definition of wetland excludes river channels, paddy fields and other areas where commercial activity takes place. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, notified by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change definition of wetlands “does not include river channels, paddy fields, human-made water bodies/ tanks specifically constructed for drinking water purposes and structures specifically constructed for aquaculture, salt production, recreation and irrigation purposes.”

How did the Ramsar Convention come into being?

3. The Ramsar Convention was adopted in 1971 in the city of Ramsar in Iran and came into force in 1975. It was the first intergovernmental agreement focused exclusively on a specific ecosystem, i.e. wetlands.

4. The convention rests on the three main pillars: conservation of wetlands of international importance, promotion of the wise use of all wetlands within a country’s territory and international co-operation on shared wetland systems and migratory species.

Infographic created by NotebookLM

5. The Convention has 172 signatory countries. They are obligated to create wetland reserves and promote the wise use of wetland habitats. India joined it in 1982, initially designating the Chilika Lake in Odisha and Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan.

6. The designation is for “Wetlands of International Importance”. They are recognised as of significant value not only to the countries in which they are located, but to humanity as a whole. The inclusion of a wetland on the list reflects the government’s commitment to take the necessary steps to ensure its ecological character is maintained.

What is the significance of wetlands?

7. Wetlands are one of the most productive ecosystems on the planet. They are the transitional ecosystems between terrestrial and aquatic environments, characterised by the presence of water-either permanently or seasonally- that supports diverse plant and animal life. They are rich in biodiversity and play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance.

• Although wetlands constitute only around 6 per cent of the Earth’s Land surface, they provide habitat and breeding grounds for nearly 40 per cent of all plant and animal species.
• They also provide natural protection to nearly 60 per cent of the global population living along coastlines by mitigating the impact of storm surges, hurricanes and tsunamis.
• Wetlands also provide provisions to human beings, such as food and fodder, mainly rice and fish, and it also supports livelihoods through fisheries, agriculture and eco-tourism.
• They act as natural sponges, absorbing excess rainfall, thereby reducing the risk of floods.
• As effective carbon sinks, wetlands store carbon in both soil and biomass.
• They are often called the ‘kidneys of the landscape’ due to their ability to filter pollutants, purify water and maintain water quality.

What are the threats to wetlands?

8. Despite their significance, wetlands are also one of the Earth’s most threatened ecosystems. According to the Ramsar Convention’s Global Wetland Outlook (2025), at least 400 million hectares of wetlands have been lost since 1970, with nearly a quarter of those remaining in a degraded state.

9. “Wetlands provide society with up to $39 trillion in benefits each year—but we continue to lose them at a rate of 0.52% annually”, as per the Global Wetland Outlook Report (2025).

10. Land conversion for agriculture, urbanisation and infrastructure development are the leading reasons behind declining wetland areas. Also, industrial and domestic waste pollute water bodies, and unsustainable farming practices disrupt hydrology. Climate change exacerbates these challenges by altering rainfall patterns and increasing the frequency of extreme events.

BEYOND THE NUGGET: Mangroves

1. Mangrove swamps are coastal wetlands found in tropical and subtropical regions. The Global Wetland Outlook Report 2025 has evaluated eleven broad wetland types that include Mangroves. As per Global Mangrove Watch, 15.11 million ha is under mangroves.

How do Mangroves help?

2. Mangroves are salt-tolerant trees and shrubs typical of estuarine and intertidal regions, meaning they grow in areas where freshwater and saltwater meet. Mangroves typically have aerial, breathing roots and waxy, succulent leaves, and are flowering plants. They thrive in high-rainfall areas (1,000–3,000 mm) with temperatures ranging from 26°C to 35°C.

3. The unique characteristic of mangroves is the way their seeds/propagules germinate. The seeds actually germinate on the tree itself, and then fall off from the tree into the water, taking root only when encumbered by mud and sediment. This is a very unique adaptation in the mangroves that helps them perpetuate in the harsh saline conditions. This phenomenon is scientifically termed vivipary.

4. In 2023, the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change launched the ‘Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI)’. It aims to promote and conserve mangroves as a unique, natural ecosystem having very high biological productivity and carbon sequestration potential, besides working as a bio shield.

5. From Gujarat to Andaman & Nicobar Islands, MISHTI brings together 13 coastal States and Union Territories under a common vision of resilient coastlines, ecological restoration, better livelihood opportunities, biodiversity conservation, blue economy growth, and climate action.

Post-Read Questions

(1) Which of the following best explain(s) the rationale for protecting mangrove ecosystems in the context of climate resilience? (UPSC CSE 2026)

1. Mangroves reduce tidal energy and store freshwater, making them ideal sites for paddy cultivation in saline estuarine belts.

2. Their salt-sensitive roots filter seawater, making mangroves key to converting coastal land into freshwater aquaculture zones.

3. By withstanding tidal surges and offering biomass resources, mangroves function both as natural bio-shields and livelihood bases for rural communities.

Select the answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2

(c) 2 and 3

(d) 3 only

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

(Note: India has now adopted the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017; this is a 2019 question, so don’t confuse it with the current definition that the government follows for the wetlands as per 2017 rules.)

(3) “If rainforests and tropical forests are the lungs of the Earth, then surely wetlands function as its kidneys.” Which one of the following functions of wetlands best reflects the above statement? (UPSC CSE 2022)

(a) The water cycle in wetlands involves surface runoff, subsoil percolation and evaporation.

(b) Algae form the nutrient base upon which fish, crustaceans, molluscs, birds, reptiles and mammals thrive.

(c) Wetlands play a vital role in maintaining sedimentation balance and Soil stabilization.

(d) Aquatic plants absorb heavy metals and excess nutrients.

Answer Key

1. (d)  2. (c)    3. (d)

(Sources: upecoboard.up.gov.in, India’s integrated approach to wetland sustainability, What are wetlands, why do they matter for the environment?, What are Ramsar Sites, and what is the significance of the listing?, UPSC Issue at a Glance | Mangroves in focus: Understanding significance, threats and conservation)

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