World Wetlands Day 2010
The South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center will sponsor 
the second annual World Wetland Day in TerrebonneParish on February 2, 2010.
World Wetlands Day (WWD) marks the date of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands on February 2, 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea. WWD was celebrated for the first time in 1997. Since then each year on February 2, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and groups of citizens at all levels of the community have taken advantage of the opportunity to undertake actions aimed at raising public awareness of wetland values and benefits in general. From 1997 to 2008, the Convention’s Web site has posted reports from more than 95 countries of WWD activities of all sizes and shapes, from lectures and seminars, nature walks, children’s art contests, sampan races and community clean-up days, to the launch of new wetland policies and new programs at the national level. The theme of this year’s WWD is Caring for wetlands – an answer to climate change.
SLWDC will be hosting an educational event complete with hands-on activities and a tour of the Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum in Downtown Houma for sixth grade students attending Maria Immacolata Catholic School, Southdown Elementary School, St. Gregory Catholic School, and St. Matthews Episcopal School on 2 February 2010 from 9am to 1pm. Organizations and businesses have partnered with SLWDC to provide experiences and activities for the students. These groups include the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program, the South Central Planning and Development Commission, the Louisiana Universities and Marine Consortium, the Terrebonne Levee & Conservation District, DANECO Inc., Motivatit Seafoods, Inc., the LSU Wildlife Hospital of Louisiana, and Legators, Inc. The mascot of the Waterlife Museum, Rosie the rosette spoonbill, will also be on hand to welcome these students to the museum.