Press releases

MINSK, 2 February (BelTA) – Another three Belarusian wetlands have received the international status, Belarusian Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Andrei Kovkhuto told journalists before the presentation of the National Strategy for Conservation and Rational (Sustainable) Use of Peatlands on 2 February, BelTA has learned.

“Another three Belarusian wetlands have received the international conservation status in addition to seventeen wetlands that have already had the status for some time,” the minister said. These are Polesye Valley of the Bug River, Servech, and Vileity.

"Today we mark the World Wetlands Day. It is very symbolic that we present our National Strategy for Conservation and Rational (Sustainable) Use of Peatlands today," Andrei Kovkhuto said.

“Three Belarusian sites have been included in the Ramsar list of wetlands. These territories already fall, to some extent, within the scope of responsibility of international organizations. It will therefore be easier for us to prepare projects and contact donors for financial assistance to rehabilitate and develop these lands,” said Natalia Minchenko, Head of the Biological and Landscape Diversity Department at the Minsitry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection.

Belarus joined the Ramsar Convention (Convention on Wetlands) in 1999 when the reserve Zvanets was added to the Ramsar list.

The National Strategy for Conservation and Rational (Sustainable) Use of Peatlands was approved by a resolution of the Council of Ministers on 30 December 2015. The basic principle of sustainable development of peatlands is that all natural peatlands (total area of 863,000 hectares) are subject to protection. Economic activity can be carried out only on the peatlands previously drained and inefficiently used. In addition, the degraded peatlands are subject to rehabilitation. The successful implementation of the strategy will allow Belarus to keep 684,000 hectares of wetlands in their natural state by 2030, restore at least 75,000 hectares of degraded peatlands, preserve more than 7 billion m3 of freshwater, and prevent about 500 million tonnes of carbon from getting into the atmosphere.