Enviro News Asia, Veracruz — International attention focused on the ecological and socioeconomic importance of wetlands under the theme “Wetlands and traditional knowledge: Celebrating cultural heritage.”
The spotlight included practical insights from Veracruz, Mexico, where a long-term project has demonstrated how coastal wetland ecosystems provide tangible benefits beyond conventional economic measures.
In Veracruz on Mexico’s Gulf Coast, wetlands such as mangroves, flooded forests, rainforests, and coastal dune systems deliver essential ecosystem services that sustain local livelihoods, protect communities from extreme weather, and support biodiversity. These systems also underpin cultural identity and traditional livelihoods for coastal residents.
The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) supported an ambitious project in Veracruz to quantify and communicate the true value of ecosystem services provided by coastal forests and wetlands. The initiative, launched in 2012, aimed to measure services such as storm buffering, flood containment, water purification, carbon sequestration, habitat connectivity, and natural regeneration.
Project Manager Ramón Carrillo of ITTO explained that conventional land use planning often underestimated wetland value because benefits were invisible in market-led assessments. By combining technical data with community-based monitoring and traditional ecological knowledge, the project revealed that intact wetlands and flooded forests delivered far greater combined benefits than converted lands such as cropland or pasture.
“This work shows that wetlands are not ‘empty land’ waiting to be developed. They are highly productive systems,” Carrillo said, noting that aligning scientific evidence with community knowledge improves both the quality and inclusiveness of decision-making.
The project also produced practical, community-focused resources. Two illustrated handbooks, published by Mexico’s Institute of Ecology (INECOL), provide techniques for restoring degraded coastal dunes and managing tree species sustainably. These guides, based on local experience, show how low-cost, traditional methods can enhance habitat quality and biodiversity.
Another publication, Knowing Mangroves, Flooded Forests and Herbaceous Wetlands, offers accessible information on wetland ecosystems combining species profiles, legal frameworks, and conservation insights in non-technical language. Complemented by maps, videos, scientific papers, and training workshops, these materials bridge gaps between researchers, policymakers, and communities. They also contribute to integrating wetlands into payment-for-ecosystem-services programs and sustainable land use planning.
The Veracruz experience underscores wetlands as frontline natural defenses in a changing climate. As storms, floods, and sea level rise intensify, these ecosystems buffer communities and support resilient livelihoods.
ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru highlighted ITTO’s broader commitment to wetlands. “Wetlands are among the most effective nature-based solutions we have for addressing today’s interconnected climate, biodiversity and development challenges,” Satkuru said. He emphasized that sustainable wetland management must be rooted in science and informed by traditional ecological knowledge.
World Wetlands Day 2026 in Veracruz reminded global audiences that wetlands’ true value lies not only in what they provide but also in how they connect culture, community, and resilience—lessons that policymakers and societies can no longer afford to overlook. (*)
