TEHRAN – A budget of five billion rials (about $10,000) has been earmarked to improve tourism facilities around Kani Barazan wetland, the northwestern province of West Azarbaijan.

The money will be spent in order to build access roads and provide temporary accommodation for tourists, IRNA reported.

Stretching to 907 hectares, Kani Barazan wetland is home to various bird species including, flamingo, little cormorant, great white pelican, stilt, sternidae, great crested grebe, graylag goose, lesser white-fronted goose, heron, common shelduck and etc.

Its high capabilities, diverse vegetation, and the annual migration of 200,000 species of birds have made this wetland a precious bird-watching site for nature lovers.

So far, 75 species of water birds belonging to 11 families have been identified in this wetland, which will reach more than 180 species counting terrestrial species.

If accommodation is provided for tourists, especially in winter and spring, when "Kani Barazan" wetland hosts thousands of migratory and native birds, the number of tourists visiting the wetland will increase.

Kani Barazan was once recorded as the first bird-sighting site in the country and birdwatchers call it Iran’s bird paradise.

Swans, gray geese, a number of endangered species such as white-headed ducks and marbled ducks, and other types of migratory birds including terns, anguts, herons, broad-billed ducks, green ducks, and gulls were observed in the wetland.

Wetlands are ecosystems saturated with water, either seasonally or permanently. They store water and ensure its quality, providing resilience against drought. They play a central role in sustainable development by supplying all our fresh water. More than 40 percent of freshwater fish are said to live in wetlands.

Wetlands play a major role in protecting the land against floods and the impacts of storms. They provide food and diverse habitats which support genetic, species, and ecosystem biodiversity. Wetlands play a key role in the life cycles of many species and in annual migration patterns.

Iran is rich in terms of having a variety of wetlands due to its climatic diversity. In Iran, 141 wetlands with ecological value with an area of over 3 million hectares have been identified, of which 25 wetlands are designated as wetlands of international importance (registered in the Ramsar Convention) covering more than 1.4 million hectares and four sites are biosphere reserves.

Of Iran’s 25 Ramsar sites about one-third are under pressure or in critical condition.

Unfortunately, wetlands are being degraded and lost due to pollution, overexploitation, climate change, and human population growth.

An official with the Department of Environment has said comprehensive management plans have been prepared for 44 wetlands in the country.

The unique characteristics of wetlands, including groundwater control, climate change adaptation, the livelihood of local communities through fishing, livestock grazing and agriculture, natural water purification, purification and absorption of pollutants, and nature tourism have made sustainable management and protection of wetlands essential for humans, ISNA quoted Jaleh Amini as saying.

Environmental management based on a comprehensive approach is a strategy for the integrated management of land, water, and livelihood resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use in a balanced manner.

This approach is the primary framework for action under the Convention on Biological Diversity. The indigenous approach puts people and their type of exploitation of natural resources exactly at the center of decision-making.

MG