The South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center will host Terrebonne Parish’s 9th Annual World Wetlands Day celebration on Friday, February 2, 2018 from 8:45 am to 2:00 pm at the Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum.

Each February, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and groups of citizens worldwide undertake actions aimed at raising public awareness of wetland values and benefits in general.

This year’s World Wetlands Day theme is wetlands for a sustainable urban future. About half of the world’s population lives in urban areas. As cities grow and demand for land increases, the tendency is to encroach on wetlands. City planners work to ensure that cities today can deliver not only basic services, such as accommodation, transport, and water, but that these cities are safe, resilient and, environmentally friendly. During storms, urban wetlands absorb excess rainfall, which reduces flooding in cities and prevents disasters and their subsequent costs. The abundant vegetation found in urban wetlands acts as a filter for domestic and industrial waste which contributes to improving water quality. When preserved and sustainably used, urban wetlands can provide cities with multiple economic, social, and cultural benefits.

To celebrate World Wetlands Day, the Wetlands Discovery Center will host an educational event complete with hands-on activities and a tour of the Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum in Downtown Houma. A few schools are invited each year to attend. Several groups are partnering with the Wetlands Discovery Center to provide the hands-on activities during the day. These groups include Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP), LSU Wildlife Hospital of LA, CWPPRA, USDA Sugarcane Research Station, and Restore or Retreat.

Terrebonne Parish’s 2018 World Wetlands Day is made possible by funds raised by the 2017 Rougarou Fest.

For more information about the Wetlands Discovery Center or its programs, please visit www.slwdc.org or call (985) 580-7289.