Archived News Release: January 18, 2018 - Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation staff and volunteers will remove invasive species and restore habitat in the Gallup Park wet prairie to commemorate World Wetlands Day. Hundreds of educational events and workdays are planned around the globe for this international celebration of wetlands.
Join volunteers at Gallup Park on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, 1–3 p.m. Take advantage of this winter opportunity to explore and improve one of Ann Arbor's special wetlands, usually inaccessible in warm months. Rare native wetland plants along the river are threatened by invasive exotic shrubs. Help NAP protect the natural diversity in this park by removing invasive species. From Gallup's main entrance, drive across the wooden bridge, and meet in the first lot after the bridge. Please dress in layers and wear shoes suitable for snow or wet ground. All participants must complete a release form, and all minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools, snacks and know-how provided.
World Wetlands Day is celebrated annually at the beginning of February to raise global awareness of the value of wetlands for humanity and the planet. The international event is organized by The Ramsar Convention Secretariat and supported by the Danone-Evian Fund for water. This year's theme, "Wetlands for a Sustainable Urban Future," highlights the important role of wetlands for sustainable urbanization. Urban wetlands are essential and contribute to making cities livable.
NAP works to protect and restore Ann Arbor's natural areas and to foster an environmental ethic among its citizens. This involves conducting plant and animal inventories, ecological monitoring and stewardship projects in Ann Arbor parks. Both staff and volunteers perform these tasks. For more information about NAP, visit www.a2gov.org/NAP.
The Ramsar Convention, the world's oldest environmental convention signed in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, brings together 168 countries with a shared mission to ensure the wise use of wetlands, and has a proven track record in working with individual countries, private sector companies, and non-governmental organizations to protect and restore wetlands for global water security. Since 1997, the Ramsar Secretariat has provided materials to help raise awareness about the importance and value of wetlands. For more information, visit www.worldwetlandsday.org.
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