26 Belarusian wetlands are of international importance

The figure was voiced by the Deputy Head of the Biological and Landscape Diversity Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources’ Main Department of Waste Management, Biological and Landscape Diversity, Lyudmila Bartoshevich, at a press conference timed to coincide with World Wetlands Day celebrated on February 2nd

“Belarus joined the Ramsar Convention, aimed at protecting wetlands around the world, in 1999. The National Biological Sporovsky Reserve is the first Belarusian territory, included in the list of wetlands of international importance,” she reminded. “Today 26 sites of the country, covering an area of more than 778 thousand hectares, are included in the international Ramsar list.”

Lyudmila Bartoshevich emphasised that Belarus has the largest open lowland bogs and heavily watered floodplains of lowland rivers in Europe, that are of great importance for the preservation of natural ecological systems of biological and landscape diversity and natural heritage.

“These territories are an important region for reproduction of 11 species of endangered birds. Rare plants, more than 50 species of valuable medicinal herbs grow here,” the ecologist said.

She also reminded that since December 2020 the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On the protection and use of peatlands” has been in effect, one of its main objectives is the preservation of natural bogs. The document has been followed up by resolutions of the Government and the Ministry of Natural Resources, that define, among other things, the issues of peatland inventory, maintenance of peatland register, comprehensive monitoring, the procedure for the development of bog management plans, etc.