Projects ensure life for wetlands

Fraser Coast residents can attend a detective workshop and identification program as part of the Cooloola Festival of Birds this weekend.

A WETLAND Detective Workshop and Shorebird Identification Program is being held in conjunction with the annual Cooloola Festival of Birds on the Tin Can Bay foreshore this Saturday and Sunday.

Conducted by WetlandCare Australia and the Burnett Mary Regional Group, the workshop is part of ongoing activities for World Wetlands Day on February 2, which marks the date of the adoption of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and the start of a range of regional activities highlighting the importance of wetland ecosystems.

This weekend's activities have been designed to inform residents of the importance of wetland environments and the species that live within them.

Participants can develop their skills in identifying shorebirds and learn of the feats of migratory shorebirds, what they are capable of and how important our region's wetlands are to their survival.

"This year's World Wetlands Day theme is Wetlands and Tourism," WetlandCare Australia senior project officer Sherry O'Brien said.

"Wetlands provide a range of essential environmental functions, such as cleaning and filtering water, providing protection in extreme weather events and improving fish stocks.

"They are also areas where many species are able to aggregate safely because they are not usually overly developed.

"Populations and human activity often border wetland areas and healthy wetlands are a great tourism drawcard and tourism opportunities are often enhanced by the existence of well-managed and healthy wetland areas.

"So together we have a great example of truly sustainable action in practice with wetlands providing the venue and tourism supplying the means for keeping the areas healthy."

The World Wetland Day activities are funded through the Federal Government's Caring for Country initiative and BMRG's Reducing the Threats to the Great Sandy, Strait Ramsar Wetlands and Coastal Systems Project.

The two activities are free to attend and are part of a full program of events over two days. The events will be informative and fun with lots of giveaways for kids.

For more information, contact Sherry O'Brien or Mary-Alice Swan on 4181 2999 or email sherry.obrien@wetlandcare.com.au.