World Wetlands Day 2008 -- Turkey
WWD with WWF-Turkey
WWF-Turkey is the NGO Focal point of Ramsar Convention in Turkey. Within the 2008 World Wetlands Day celebrations, WWF-Turkey has planned to organize a one-day Conference named “Wetlands- In the Course of Time” in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry- General Directorate for Nature Conservation and National Parks and Nilüfer Local Agenda 21, in Bursa, where one of Ramsar Sites of Turkey- Uluabat Lake- is located. In the meeting, several presentations would take place on the importance of the wetlands, management of the wetlands in Turkey and in the world, the future of the wetlands, wetlands in Bursa region with a particular focus on the Uluabat Lake. Following the presentations, the participants would be taken to the visitor’s center in Eskikaraagac Village where photographs from several wetlands in Turkey will be exhibited.
However, due to bad weather conditions, the meeting had to be postponed to May 2008. In May, the Stork Festival takes place in Uluabat Lake, and we plan to organize our meeting and photo exhibition complemented with a site visit in this festival. Apart from this, on 2nd of February, WWF-Turkey has prepared a press release in which economic functions of the wetlands have been emphasized. The press release had a good media coverage and some TV/radio interviews were made on this. Moreover, Ramsar poster for “2 February, World Wetlands Day – Healthy wetlands, healthy people” has been translated into Turkish, published and it has been displayed in the relevant meetings and activities.
In addition to this, WWF-Turkey has conducted a rapid assessment for 12 Ramsar Sites in Turkey. The sites have been visited and their latest condition has been investigated. Relevant government institutions and local institutions have been consulted and their input has also been integrated into the assessment report. WWF-Turkey and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry are going to use this assessment as a basis of a more detailed and comprehensive study in Turkey’s Ramsar Sites.
