Wetlands provide us with so much – clean water, food, and climate resilience, to name a few. This World Wetlands Day, we’re highlighting how the Cambridge Conservation Initiative (CCI) partnership is giving back to wetlands worldwide, ensuring a future for these vital ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.

Wetlands are essential for maintaining our planet’s delicate balance. They naturally purify water, absorb carbon dioxide from our warming atmosphere, and offer aquatic havens for new life to begin. Despite their importance, wetlands have been historically overlooked and are among the least protected ecosystems, facing rapid degradation since the industrial revolution. 

Placing Wetland Protection on the Global Stage 

The inclusion of inland and coastal wetlands in the targets of the 2022 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) marked a significant step in global conservation efforts.  As part of the GBF’s goal to restore 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030, wetlands have become a central focus, with international efforts directed at their protection and restoration.

This World Wetlands Day, on February 2nd, the theme is “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future.” This theme is also shared at the upcoming 15th meeting of the Ramsar Convention (COP15) in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, from July 23–31. Representatives from around the world – including those from our partnership – will come together to discuss wetland conservation and sustainable management, set against the backdrop of one of the world’s largest waterfalls.

Representatives from 172 countries will gather in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe – home to the breathtaking Victoria Falls National Park – to shape the future of global wetland conservation © mantaphoto / Getty Images

Unlocking the Future of Wetland Protection through Research

The Cambridge Conservation Initiative (CCI) partnership is turning wetland research into real-world impact. One example is the CCI Collaborative Fund project, “Science-Based Targets for Driving Global Wetland Conservation from Local to Global Scales.”

Led by Thomas Starnes, Senior Programme Officer at IUCN, and Chess Ridley, Postdoctoral Research Associate at Newcastle University, this project unites experts from the CCI partnership, including IUCN, University of Cambridge, UNEP-WCMC, and BirdLife International, in collaboration with the IUCN SSC Global Biodiversity Framework Task Force at Newcastle University.

Together, they are adapting the STAR (Species Threat Abatement and Restoration) metric for freshwater ecosystems for the first time, expanding its focus beyond terrestrial and marine habitats. This framework aims to guide governments, businesses, and NGOs in reducing the extinction risk of freshwater species through addressing key threats. 

The method has already been tested in Romania’s Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, where a IUCN Save Our Species project implemented by WWF Romania is working to restore threatened sturgeon populations. This initiative is part of a broader conservation effort in the area, including CCI’s Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme.

A Critically Endangered Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) in the Danube Delta © Denja1 / Getty Images

Reviving the Danube Delta

The Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve is Europe’s largest remaining natural wetland, spanning Ukraine, Romania, and Moldova. It has a variety of habitats, from rivers and lakes to marshes and lagoons, which support over 60 species of fish, as well as otters, European mink, and many other species. The delta is also a vital stopover for migratory birds, providing essential food and rest along their journey. 

Historically, the region supported large herds of wild horses, saiga antelopes, aurochs, and wild ass. However, agricultural expansion and dam construction have degraded water quality and biodiversity, driving wild herbivores away and impacting local communities that rely on the wetlands for their livelihoods.

Aerial view of the Romanian section of the Danube Delta project area © Staffan Widstrand / Rewilding Europe

The CCI Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme is supporting partners to restore the Danube Delta. Their efforts include removing obsolete dams to restore natural river flows and reintroducing large herbivores such as Konik horses, red deer, and water buffalo to help restore ecosystem function and increase biodiversity. This past September, European hamsters and steppe marmots were also reintroduced, with their burrowing activities helping to build a healthier, more resilient landscape.

Steppe marmots are ecosystem engineers and will also form an important part of local food webs on Ukraine’s Tarutino Steppe © Rewilding Ukraine.

Restoring Wetlands for Migratory Birds

As bird populations in the Danube Delta are on the rise thanks to restoration efforts, they are also a central focus of BirdLife International’s Regional Flyway Initiative. This initiative aims to restore wetlands that serve as critical stopovers for migratory birds at nearly 150 sites across Asia. 

The first project launched in December 2024 at South Dongting Lake, China. The lake, which borders the growing community of Yuanjiang, is an important site for farming and fishing. However, dam construction, urban expansion, agricultural runoff, and climate change have polluted its waters, impacting wildlife, water quality and livelihoods in the area.

To restore the landscape for both people and birds, BirdLife International, the Asian Development Bank, and partners are working together on an ambitious plan. Their efforts include a monitoring system for migratory birds, flood protection measures, and the restoration of over 12,000 hectares – that’s roughly 16,800 football pitches! – of degraded wetland.

South Dongting Lake wrapped around the growing community of Yuanjiang © Christian Fischer / ADB

Whether supporting migratory birds or providing local communities with food, these stories from our partnership show that wetlands are vital lifelines for wildlife, people, and our planet. Just a drop in the vast sea of wetland conservation efforts at CCI, they highlight the power of innovative research, strong partnerships, and global action in protecting the habitats that sustain us.