Santiago de Chile (EFE).- The Chilean Ministry of the Environment has officially protected a hundred wetlands located in urban limits in three years to protect them from the impact of humans and preserve their biodiversity under a law approved in January 2020 that recognizes the value of those ecosystems.
In an act held this Thursday to coincide with World Wetlands Day, the Minister of the Environment, Maisa Rojas, officially recognized the Mantagua wetland, located in the Quintero commune (center), as urban wetland number 100 in the country.
“Wetlands have a very relevant role in conserving biodiversity and mitigating natural disasters, as well as mitigating and adapting to climate change, allowing the development of resilient cities and guaranteeing greater water security,” said the minister. .
Wetlands in Chile
The 100 urban wetlands that have been declared so far in Chile total 11,000 hectares, distributed in 60 municipalities in 15 regions of the country, and another 88 wetlands are currently in the process of being protected by the same law.
“The milestone of the 100 declared urban wetlands is a good time to ratify the commitment of the Ministry of the Environment to continue applying the law and conserving wetlands, always based on scientific knowledge and the well-being of people and territories”, added Minister Rojas.
Urban wetlands are land covered by fresh or marine water, either naturally or artificially, whose depth does not exceed six meters at low tide and which are totally or partially within an urban limit; These areas have special environmental protections, with limitations to house urban or industrial projects.
Number 100: Mantagua
The urban wetland number 100 of Mantagua extends over 43.5 hectares and is partially located within the urban area of the Quintero commune; It consists of a meander whose mouth to the sea is closed by a sand barrier that creates an estuary, as well as a lagoon parallel to the coastline with a system of doubts.
The Mantagua wetland contains a wide range of plants and diverse species of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
World Wetlands Day is celebrated every February 2 to raise awareness about the value of wetlands to humanity and the planet.
This year, the theme of the anniversary says “It is time for wetland restoration”, in order to restore wetland ecosystems, since, since 1970, at least 35% of wetland ecosystems around the world have been lost or have become threatened.
