Dubai Municipality's Environment Department is participating in the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971), to be held in Changwon, South Korea, from October 28 to November 4.

The Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

There are presently 158 Contracting Parties to the Convention, with 1782 wetland sites, totaling 161 million hectares, designated for inclusion in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.

The UAE's sole Ramsar-approved wetland is the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary (RAKWS). It is the first wildlife sanctuary in Dubai.

Covering a 6.2 sq km-area surrounded by a buffer zone, the sanctuary is home to about 266 species of fauna and 47 species of flora.

The existence of various ecosystems within RAKWS - mangroves, mudflats, lagoons, sabkhas, reed beds and shrub lands – contributes to rich biological diversity; as these support a variety of plants, insects, mollusks, fishes, reptiles, birds and mammals.

The majestic Flamingoes in the background of lush green mangroves are most visible and attractive natural features of RAKS.

It supports a rich invertebrate fauna, mainly consisting of polychaete worms, mollusks, and brachyuran crabs. The RAKS is also the central attraction for bird watching and nature tourism in UAE.

Currently, the Environment Department is planning an extensive media campaign to promote public awareness about the sanctuary.-TradeArabia News Service