Help our threatened wetlands on World Wetlands Day

New Zealanders are being urged to celebrate World Wetlands Day by doing something practical to help protect wetlands, a habitat crucial to the survival of many of this country’s wildlife species.
Every year, World Wetlands Day is celebrated on 2 February around the globe to raise international awareness about the value of wetlands. The theme this year is “wetlands for a sustainable urban future.”
Unfortunately, despite their importance to wildlife and the environment, wetlands are among the world’s most threatened habitats. In New Zealand, more than 90 percent of our original wetlands have been destroyed.
Fish & Game says New Zealanders can help protect remaining wetlands and rebuild more by buying the latest habitat trust stamp, which is being launched today to mark World Wetlands Day.
“We are asking people to buy the stamp, knowing that modest purchase can potentially make a big difference,” says Fish & Game Policy Manager Robert Sowman.
The money raised from the habitat stamp programme pays for projects which protect and enhance wetlands and other wildlife habitat throughout New Zealand.
These funds have allowed the Game Bird Habitat Trust which distributes the funds to allocate around a hundred thousand dollars a year towards a wide range of habitat projects.
While every game bird hunter buys a habitat stamp when they purchase their hunting licence, Robert Sowman says anyone can buy one.
“The habitat stamps are a great way of helping protect wetlands, so anyone who wants to do their bit for the environment can buy a stamp and be secure in the knowledge the money is going to do good,” he says.
This year’s stamp features the mallard duck from a specially-commissioned painting by Dunedin artist Karen Baddock (wildlife-art.co.nz) who is renowned for her wildlife and landscape works.
Robert Sowman says that as one of New Zealand’s premier game birds, the mallard is perfect candidate for the Habitat Stamp and for this year’s World Wetlands Day theme.
“Mallards are quite at home in lots of urban settings including public parks and gardens – some of which could be classed as ‘urban wetlands.’
The habitat stamp is produced by NZ Post for Fish & Game. The habitat stamp programme is marking its 25th anniversary in 2018.
Categories
Archive
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- December 2013
- March 2013
- September 2012
- July 2012