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In Sardinia, the World Wetlands Day on February 2 is celebrated throughout the month with a full calendar of events in the Oristano area including excursions, birdwatching and tours to ponds and lagoons by bike, boat, kayak and even on horseback. 

The month of February in Sardinia is an invitation to an alternative and ecological journey through the ponds and lagoons of the Oristano area, one of the largest wetlands areas in Sardinia. 

Almost forty appointments for a full immersion between ponds and lagoons, put together in the program of events on the occasion of the World Wetlands Day by the MEDSEA foundation, which falls on the 51st anniversary of the RAMSAR convention which recognizes the international importance of the wetlands and identifies the richest areas from the point of view of their birdlife biodiversity. Sardinia, with currently 9 RAMSAR areas out of 57 areas identified in Italy and as much as 17% of the total national surface, is one of the regions with the largest quantity and extension of these important basins, mostly coastal, including the last born at the mouth of the Rio Posada. 

NATURAL ITINERARIES AMONGS PONDS AND LAGOONS 

Lots of events has been organized by Lipu Oristano, Afni Sardegna, Fai Oristano, Sinis Marine Protected Area - Mal di Ventre Island, associations, cooperatives and companies, designed for locals, but also for “off season” tourists. 

It starts from 5 February and for all weekends of the month with excursions in gozzo (traditional fishing boat) in the Marceddì Lagoon (Terralba) starting at the first light of dawn - and repeating in the afternoon - to learn the ancient fishing techniques and learn to recognize the avifauna of the lagoon. The visits will go even further out to sea, near Capo Frasca, on 5 and 6 February, for the observation of mammals and sea birds. Passengers on board will be guided by naturalist experts from Lipu Oristano and Afni - Association of Italian Naturalist Photographers - Sardinia, in the recognition of avifauna - especially shearwaters -, and supported in nature photography techniques. A marine biologist, with the help of a probe in the sea, will allow participants to listen to the voice of the dolphins that populate these areas. Boat trips also departing from the small port of Torre Grande (Oristano) every weekend from 12 to 15 with Sinis Yachting, to enjoy the hottest hours of the day with a view over the Mistras lagoon and an aperitif in front of the ruins of the ancient Phoenician city of Tharros. 

 The nature excursions with birdwatching will also take place by kayak and by land in the ponds of Cabras and Mistras (Cabras), conducted by the Alea cooperative on 6, 13, 20 and 26 February and between the Marceddì (Terralba) and Ena Arrubia (Arborea) lagoons, on 13, 26 and 27 February, organized by L'Oasi del Relax di Arborea. Saturday 12, double event: a bike tour starting from Terralba will go along the lagoons of Marceddì and S’Ena Arrubia, the Arborea Fishermen Cooperative, Nieddittas, for the occasion, will held a bird walk in the Corru Mannu pond, led by Lipu experts Gabriele Pinna and Franco Sotgiu. 

Among the most unusual experiences in nature on 5 February from 5 pm, the excursion to Sale 'e Porcus, one of the few sites in Sardinia where it is possible to observe the cranes that stop in this pond between the end of November and February, before resuming their migratory route to North Africa. 

Full calendar at www.maristanis.org  

PROMOTING THE CULTURE OF THE ENVIRONMENT WITH PONDS 

"Every year we organize this appointment together with local partners, as part of the project for the protection, enhancement and governance of the wetlands of Oristano Maristanis - explains Alessio Satta president of the MEDSEA Foundation - this year we are particularly happy with the response from the territory, despite the period of great uncertainty we are going through, which demonstrates not only the ability to work as a team, but also to commit to defending one's resources and making these extraordinary environments better known to an ever wider audience ". 

"With this calendar of initiatives - explains Gabriele Pinna spokesperson of Lipu Oristano - we remember the Ramsar Convention, the first true international convention concerning the conservation and management of natural ecosystems, born in 1971 to respond to the need to reverse the process of transformation and destruction of wetlands as primary environments for the life of water birds, which have to travel particular migratory routes through different states and continents to reach the different nesting, resting and wintering sites each season ".