Protection 'vital for Mediterranean's wetlands' (BBC)
By Sylvia Smith
BBC News
Urgent government action is the only thing that can stem the crisis facing the Mediterranean's wetlands.
That was the message from a recent meeting convened to discuss how best to protect these increasingly vulnerable ecosystems.
Mangroves, reed beds, peat bogs, ponds, river banks, swamps, marshes all fall under the heading of wetlands.
Under the umbrella of the Mediterranean Wetlands Initiative (MedWet), more than 350 specialists from countries in the region came together in Agadir, Morocco, to discuss the challenges facing these unique ecosystems.
They were drawn from a daunting range of disciplines: there were bird watchers, eel specialists, forestry commissioners, marine biologists and environmentalists present at the symposium.
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more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17129989