The Convention on Wetlands or the RAMSAR Convention defines Inland wetlands as “Areas of of water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brakish or salt’ (unlike marine and coastal wetlands not affected by tidal flood).The are considered as the “Kidneys” of the earth since they purify and filter inland waste water before it flows to the sea, absorb rainfall, reduce flooding and delay the onset of droughts.
- Freshwater swamps and marshes
- Floodplains
- Peatlands
- Lakes
- Rivers
In the Philippines, Wetland assessment are continuously done to all wetlands per region.Priority wetlands are identified based on the urgency for characterization considering its use for biological conservation, hazard mitigation, ecotourism, and fisheries production.
A showcase of the Philippine governments efforts to conserve wetlands is the rehabilitation of the 9 identified inland wetlands in the famous island of Boracay. With the help of the private sector, 4 of the 9 inland wetlands previously occupied by informal settlers and illegal structures have been cleared and will be developed into sustainable public spaces where visitors can explore the nature trails, commune with nature from the scenic lookout deck and delight in searching for local and migratory birds and native/rare plants species that are listed under the DAO/IUCN Red list.