CAPE TOWN, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- South Africa on Monday called for collective action to protect wetlands, warning that the loss of these ecosystems would also mean the loss of livelihoods, heritage and resilience.

Speaking at the commemoration of World Wetlands Day at the False Bay Nature Reserve in Cape Town, South African Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Narend Singh said wetlands remain among the world's most productive ecosystems but are also "among the most threatened."

World Wetlands Day is commemorated annually on Feb. 2, to mark the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 1971. More than five decades later, Singh said its message is "more urgent than ever," as pressures from pollution, unsustainable development and climate change continue to mount.

Reflecting on this year's theme, "Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage," Singh said wetlands are "far more than physical landscapes," describing them as "living cultural spaces" where nature and human history are deeply intertwined.

"For centuries, wetlands have sustained communities by providing food, freshwater, livelihoods, and protection from floods and storms," he said. "They have shaped traditions, stories, and ways of life."

In cities, wetlands play an equally critical role by filtering water, reducing flood risks and providing green spaces that support health and social connection -- benefits Singh said "cannot be taken for granted" in a rapidly urbanizing world.

Singh said traditional knowledge systems show that conservation and culture are inseparable, adding that indigenous and local knowledge remains "one of our strongest allies in protecting wetlands today."

He quoted a well known saying to underline the responsibility facing current generations: "We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children."

"When wetlands are lost, we do not only lose ecosystems, but we also lose livelihoods, heritage, and resilience," Singh said.

He urged communities to take practical action, noting that every household, school, organization, and business has a role to play, from local cleanups to restoring indigenous vegetation and participating in citizen science.

South Africa also marked the designation of the Agulhas Plain as the country's 32nd Ramsar Site, a move Singh said strengthens the country's contribution to global wetland conservation. ■