Santo Domingo.- Today February 2nd is WorldWetlands Day, celebrated to raise awareness on that ecosystem’s importance.
Dominican Republic boasts the Caribbean’s most diversearray of wetlands, including the region’s biggest salt lake of Enriquillo, andthe biggest fresh water lake, Rincon.
The date was chosen to mark the signing of the first treatyfor the conservation and correct use of the planet’s wetlands.
The wetlands’ importance is based on their diverseecosystem, biology, regulate the water cycle and climate, generates freshwater supplyand their sue use for human activities such as tourism and fishing.
Wetlands contribute to regulate the water cycle, control floodsand mitigate droughts, and supply water and are often wildlife refuges.
Among the types of wetlands figure natural areas of wetmeadows, bogs, swamps, marshes, lakes, rivers, estuaries, deltas and tidal plains,coastal marine areas, mangroves, coral reefs, springs, and man-made sites suchas fish and salt ponds, rice paddies and reservoirs.