WORLD WETLANDS DAY IN UZBEKISTAN

In early February, on the initiative of Uzbekistan Society for the Protection of Birds, five events dedicated to wetlands protection and study were organized in four regions of Uzbekistan

'It's time for wetland restoration' was the theme of the World Wetlands Day 2023, which was celebrated in early February in countries that have adopted the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat. More than 500 people took part in meetings held in Jizzakh, Samarkand, Kashkadarya regions and in Tashkent. Wetlands Day covered such a large number of participants in Uzbekistan for the first time!

On February 2, World Wetland Day was celebrated in Tashkent at a high state level. A large-scale event designed to raise awareness of the importance of wetlands for people and the planet was initiated by the UzSPB and organized by the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan, as well as the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan. More than 90 people took part in the meeting: deputies of the Oliy Majlis, representatives of the territorial branches of the Ecological Party, governance of the Institute of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan and young specialists in the field of environmental protection.

At the meeting, reports on the topic 'Legal basis for the protection of wetlands', 'Measures taken in connection with the fulfillment of obligations for the protection of wetlands', 'Areas of scientific research under the Ramsar Convention', 'The importance of international cooperation in the protection and Ramsar Sites' and 'Wetland Restoration as the theme of this year's World Wetlands Day' were presented. The talk of Uzbekistan Society for the Protection of Birds on the need to restore wetlands and on the International Waterbird Census results in Uzbekistan aroused great interest among representatives of the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan and deputies of Oliy Majlis.

On the same day, a round table was held at the National Research University 'Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers' together with the Tashkent City Council of the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan, the Aral Sea Development Committee and the Senate Ecology Committee. The theme of the round table, which was attended by more than 90 lecturers and students of the university, was the wetlands of Uzbekistan.

The World Wetlands Day was also celebrated at the Faculty of Geography and Ecology of Samarkand State University. The event was held with participation of 82 students of the Department of Ecology, members of the student ornithological club 'Flamingo' and lecturers of the Department of Ecology and Life Safety of Samarkand State University. The head of the 'Flamingo' student ornithological club, Associate Professor Leyla Enverovna Belialova, spoke about the first environmental date of the year - World Wetlands Day, emphasizing the role of the Uzbekistan Society for the Protection of Birds in conservation of birds in the country. Then participants of the meeting were demonstrated 'Wetlands restoration' presentation. Professor of the Department of Ecology and Life Safety of Samarkand State University Zuvaid Izzatullaevich Izzatullaev spoke about importance of wetlands as a habitats for various organisms and emphasized the importance of preserving wetlands of Uzbekistan. Associate Professor of the Department Burkhon Fayzullaevich Faizullaev spoke about contribution of the country's governance to restoration and maintenance of natural ecosystems and emphasized the importance of informing students about environmental dates.

Flamingo student club members Iroda Abulfaiziev and Zamira Ismatova prepared photographs of waterfowl, spoke about the most numerous and rare species of birds wintering at Chimkurgan reservoir. Wetlands Day was also celebrated at the Faculties of Philology, Sports and Arts of Samarkand State University during courses on Ecology and nature protection. More than 150 students of these faculties took part in 'I know this bird!' contest. In Kashkadarya region, 33 lecturers and students of Karshi State University joined the Wetlands Day. An educational event dedicated to importance of wetland ecosystems was organized at the Faculty of Geography and Soil Science of Karshi State University on the initiative of the senior lecturer of the faculty, head of the 'Sociable Lapwing' student ornithological club Tulkin Uktamovich Rakhimov.

56 high school students of school №5 of Jizzakh city joined the meeting dedicated to conservation of wetlands in Jizzakh region. The lesson at the school was organized on the initiative of the head of the Department of Zoology and Anatomy of Jizzakh State Pedagogical University, 'Steppe Eagle' student birdwatching club supervisor Lola Shukurboevna Sanaeva. From presentation demonstrated at the meeting, university students learned that 35% of the world's wetlands have disappeared since 1970. Wetlands are disappearing three times faster than forests, and people's well-being, livelihoods and health of the planet are at risk!