| In The News
World Wetland Day Will Bring Georgian Bay
Water Levels Back??
 Midland,
Ontario, Tay Township …….. Saturday February
2, 2008 is World Wetlands Day and the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre
will be supporting the Healthy Wetlands, Healthy People
theme that Ramsar has suggested. A combination of
family interactive activities, hands-on demonstrations with
Wye Marsh naturalists, and a viewing of the film “Garbage”
are being held during the morning and afternoon presented
by Twisted Pines Music and Arts Environmental Movie Series.
Twisted Pines Music and Arts has also arranged for The Creaking
Tree String Quartet to provide a free family concert during
the lunch hour. The day’s activities are complimentary
with the price of admission.
What is World Wetlands Day?
February 2nd each year is World Wetlands
Day. It marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on
Wetlands, in 1971, which occurred in the Iranian city of Ramsar.
Each year since 1997, government agencies, non-governmental
organizations, and groups of citizens at all levels of the
community have taken advantage of the opportunity to
undertake actions aimed at raising public awareness of wetland
values and benefits in general and the Ramsar Convention in
particular to the Georgian Bay area.
Laurie Schutt Executive Director at Wye Marsh
states, “Every resident in the Georgian Bay area is
aware of the decline of water levels along the shorelines.
Events like World Wetland Day helps us reassess a “take
for granted attitude” that water will always be here
for human use.” The Georgian Bay Association has been
focused on the loss of water levels, not just in Georgian
Bay, but all of the Great Lakes. Schutt adds, “Many
areas of the world are losing their freshwater resource…..
we can help provide a greater awareness about wetlands and
their importance to Georgian Bay’s fresh water supply.”
Topics to be covered during World Wetlands
Day include:
Water availability: If water
is extracted more rapidly than it is naturally replenished,
wetland ecosystems will, in extreme cases, collapse, with
a complete loss of ecosystem services. The effect of such
extreme cases is costly in terms of human health, erosion,
and poor water quality for drinking and other purposes.
Wetland food: Adequate, good
quality food is a prerequisite for healthy people, and wetlands
are key contributors to the food supply of fresh water fish
and the recreational tourism industry in the Georgian Bay
area.
Clean water: Inland wetlands
(rivers, lakes, ponds, marshes, etc.) perform a vital function
in filtering and purifying freshwater, rendering it 'clean'
for possible human consumption.
Water pollution: Despite the
capacity of freshwater wetlands in purifying water, they do
have their limits. They can only deal with so much agricultural
runoff, so much inflow from domestic and industrial wastes
resulting from landfill runoff.
Floods: Floods and storms have
affected human lives since the beginning of civilization,
but all types of floods. Major marshes slow down and retain
floodwaters.
The complete days itinerary is available at
http://www.wyemarsh.com/events.html
Individuals wishing to research more information
on World Wetlands Day can visit http://www.ramsar.org
For more information contact the Wye Marsh at
705-526-7809 or info@wyemarsh.com
Editors’ Notes:
Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre is located 35 minutes northwest
of Barrie Ontario in the heart of Southern Georgian Bay’s
Historic Resort Destination in the Wye Valley, in Midland
Ontario. The Centre continues to provide outdoor experiences
and environmental education for school groups, Scouts and
Guides, and international visitors. The centre is open year
round, seven days a week, allowing seasonal outdoor experiences
in the winter, spring, summer and fall.
For additional information contact Laurie Schutt,
Executive Director
at (705) 526-7809.
Media wishing to write travel stories on Ontario’s
great outdoors should contact Denise Brophey (705) 526-7809
to arrange for dates and times.
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