The Turks and Caicos Islands Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR) and the Turks & Caicos National Trust (TCNT) will be hosting clean-ups in support of World Wetlands Day 2022, on Saturday, February 5.
The clean-ups are slated for Wheeland Pond, starting at 7am, the West Road Pond, Grand Turk starting at 6am.
Attendees will also get to learn why these wetlands are more than swamps!
The clean-up day marks the Islands’ support for the global event which takes place on February 2nd and marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar.
The Turks & Caicos Islands boast the protected North, Middle and East Caicos Nature Reserve, which is an area expanding 210 square miles, declared an International Ramsar Site.
The DECR can be contacted at environment@gov.tc or 338-4170 for more information.
Wetlands are often an undervalued natural resource and are important as they:
1. ensure fresh water and replenish ground water:
2. purify and filter harmful toxins;
3. are a breeding ground for many commercially important fish species;
4. provide vital habitats for migratory birds;
5. ease flooding and safeguard against drought;
6. reduce the impacts of erosion; and
7. provide sustainable livelihoods.