India’s Expanding Ramsar Network

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Picture Courtesy: PIB

Context:

Prime Minister, has welcomed the addition of Patna Bird Sanctuary in Etah (Uttar Pradesh) and Chhari-Dhand in Kutch (Gujarat) as Ramsar sites.

What are Ramsar sites?

Ramsar Sites are wetlands of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention, an intergovernmental treaty focused on the conservation and wise use of wetlands worldwide.

The convention was adopted in 1971 in the city of Ramsar in Iran.

Under the convention, wetlands include a wide range of ecosystems:

• Marshes and swamps
• Lakes and rivers
• Floodplains
• Mangroves and coral reefs
• Peatlands
• Even man-made wetlands like reservoirs and fish ponds

Importance of the Ramsar Convention:

• It provides the first global framework dedicated solely to wetland conservation, bringing international attention to ecosystems that were historically seen as wastelands rather than life-support systems.
• It promotes the concept of “wise use” of wetlands, ensuring that conservation and sustainable development go hand in hand instead of being treated as opposing goals.
• It encourages countries to identify and designate wetlands of international importance, which leads to better scientific assessment, monitoring, and long-term protection.
• It strengthens international cooperation, especially for transboundary wetlands and migratory species, since birds and river systems do not follow political borders.
• It supports biodiversity conservation by protecting habitats for fish, amphibians, reptiles, plants, and especially migratory waterbirds that depend on wetland networks across continents.
• It contributes directly to climate change mitigation, as wetlands such as peatlands, mangroves, and marshes act as major carbon sinks, storing vast amounts of carbon in soil and vegetation.
• It enhances climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction, since wetlands naturally buffer floods, reduce storm surges, prevent coastal erosion, and recharge groundwater.
• It plays a key role in water security, because wetlands filter pollutants, improve water quality, and regulate river flows during droughts and heavy rainfall.
• It supports food security and livelihoods, particularly for communities dependent on fisheries, rice cultivation, grazing, and harvesting of wetland resources.
• It integrates wetlands into national development planning, pushing governments to include ecosystem services in policy decisions rather than focusing only on short-term economic gains.
• It complements other global agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and UN Convention to Combat Desertification, creating synergy between biodiversity, climate, and land management efforts.
• It raises public awareness and scientific research on wetlands, leading to better data, improved management practices, and greater community participation in conservation

New Ramsar sites of India:

Patna Bird Sanctuary (Uttar Pradesh):

Patna Bird Sanctuary is a freshwater wetland recently added to India’s list of Ramsar Sites

Location: Patna Bird Sanctuary is located in the Etah district of Uttar Pradesh within the fertile Gangetic plains, and it is surrounded by agricultural fields that contrast with its wetland ecosystem.

Habitat Characteristics: The sanctuary consists of freshwater marshes interspersed with grasslands, woodland patches, and seasonal wetlands, creating a diverse mosaic of habitats that support rich biodiversity.

Faunal Diversity: The wetland provides habitat to nearly 178 bird species, including both resident and migratory waterbirds, making it an important stopover and breeding ground along regional migratory routes.

Floral Diversity: With around 252 plant species recorded, the aquatic and semi-aquatic vegetation plays a crucial role in nutrient cycling, water purification, and sustaining the food web of the ecosystem.

International Recognition: The site has been recognised as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area by Birdlife international, and its ecological importance led to its designation as a Ramsar Site, highlighting its global wetland value.

Ecosystem Services: Beyond biodiversity, the sanctuary helps regulate floods, recharge groundwater, and maintain local climatic balance, while also supporting livelihoods dependent on wetland resources.

Concerns: The wetland faces pressures from agricultural runoff, encroachment, and changing land-use patterns, making sustained conservation management essential to preserve its ecological character.

Chhari-Dhand Wetland:

Location: Chhari-Dhand Wetland is located in the Kutch district of Gujarat and lies between the Banni grasslands and the salt flats of the Rann of Kutch, forming part of a unique arid-zone wetland system.

Wetland Type: It is a seasonal saline wetland, meaning that water accumulates during the monsoon and gradually recedes, creating dynamic habitats that change through the year.

Faunal importance: The wetland serves as an important wintering and stopover site for migratory waterbirds along the Central Asian Flyway, supporting large congregations of cranes, flamingos, pelicans, and other waterfowl.

Threatened species: It provides habitat for globally threatened birds such as the sociable lapwing (critically endangered) and the common pochard (vulnerable), underlining its international conservation value.

Ecological Characteristics: The wetland supports saline-tolerant vegetation and aquatic organisms adapted to fluctuating salinity levels, which in turn sustain a rich food web for birds and other wildlife.

Ramsar Significance: Chhari-Dhand has been designated a Ramsar Site because of its importance as a representative saline wetland ecosystem in an arid region and its critical role in supporting migratory and threatened bird species.

Ecosystem Services: Despite its seasonal nature, the wetland contributes to groundwater recharge, supports pastoral livelihoods in surrounding grasslands, and maintains regional ecological balance.

Conclusion:

The recent addition of new Ramsar Sites highlights India’s growing recognition of wetlands as vital ecological assets rather than wastelands, strengthening the country’s commitment to global wetland conservation under the Ramsar Convention. These newly designated wetlands, such as Patna Bird Sanctuary and Chhari-Dhand Wetland, not only support rich biodiversity and migratory bird populations but also provide crucial ecosystem services like flood regulation, groundwater recharge, and climate resilience. Their inclusion in the Ramsar network enhances international cooperation, scientific management, and sustainable use, ensuring that conservation and community livelihoods move forward together.

Source: PIB