The Biodiversity Foundation, a public foundation of the Government of Spain, joins the celebration of World Wetlands Day with the launch of the headquarters of the Biodiversity Foundation, Spanish Wetlands Center (CEHUM) in Gandía, Valencia.

The start-up of the Spanish Wetlands Centre is the result of the collaboration between the Biodiversity Foundation, the Universitat Politècnica de València, the Universitat de València and the City Council of Gandía (Valencia).

This centre was created in response to a promise from the Government of Spain, announced by the Vice-President of the Government a year ago, on the occasion of this celebration.

The centre was born from the need to achieve an adequate degree of knowledge about the importance of wetlands, as well as the knowledge and conservation of their values and functions. The development and application of specific policies and active conservation programmes, both nationally and internationally, in an attempt to counteract the threats faced by these ecosystems.

Spain acceded to the Convention “concerning Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl or Ramsar Habitat”, which aims at the conservation and wise use of wetlands through national action and through international cooperation, in order to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development throughout the world. Within the Ramsar Convention, the Mediterranean Wetlands Committee was created, which is a regional initiative that includes all the Mediterranean countries and to which Spain has belonged since its inception.

The Law on Natural Heritage and Biodiversity assumes these purposes since some of its inspiring principles are directly applicable to wetlands and their components, as a fundamental part of our natural heritage. Likewise, the regulations include specific obligations in relation to wetlands such as the necessary reference to their inventory, to the planning of conservation guidelines.