The Wetlands Institute of Orissa on the Bay of Bengal is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of the fragile ecology of the coastal areas of Orissa and India.


Orissa, a scenic and rural haven of India, has one of the most scenic natural coastal environments in India, which is now being threatened by development and encroachment. The Institute is located on the Bay of Bengal coast, some five kilometers of the historic Sun Temple of Konark (13th century), the Institute is on the scenic Puri-Konark Marine Drive.



Mission•
The Mission of the Wetlands Institute of Orissa on the Bay of Bengal consists of the following objectives:
To create an area “where wetlands and coastal ecosystems thrive, and all people know essential these systems are to life.”
To promote appreciation, understanding and stewardship of wetlands and coastal ecosystems through our programs in research, education and conservation.
To teach people of all ages the value of wetlands and coastal ecosystems for the survival of life on earth
To conduct cutting-edge research regarding wetlands and coastal ecosystems
To encourage stewardship of these ecosystems worldwide
(Adapted from: The Wetlands Institute- www.wetlandsinstitute.org)

What is a Wetland? Definition
Wetlands cannot simply be described as just land or just water. They can actually be both at the same time, or seasonally aquatic, or terrestrial. According to Wetlands International, wetlands are: “Areas on which water covers the soil or if water is present either at or near the surface of that soil. Water can also be present within the root zone, all year or just during various periods of time of the year.”
http://www.wetlands.org/Aboutus/Whatarewetlands/Whatarewetlands/tabid/1994/Default.aspx

Under the Ramsar international wetland conservation treaty, wetlands are defined as follows:
• Article 1.1: "...wetlands are areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres."
• Article 2.1: "[Wetlands] may incorporate riparian and coastal zones adjacent to the wetlands, and islands or bodies of marine water deeper than six metres at low tide lying within the wetlands".


Flora

There are several ways in which to categorise wetlands. A wetland may be described as
• Marshes/swamps: areas where water is more or less permanently at the surface and/or causing saturation of the soil (e.g. papyrus swamp, fen, peatlands)
• Shallow lakes: areas of permanent or semi-permanent water with little flow (e.g. ponds, salt lakes, volcanic crater lakes).
• Coasts: areas between land and open sea that are not influenced by rivers (e.g. shorelines, beaches, mangroves and coral reefs)
• Estuaries: where rivers meet the sea and water changes from fresh to salt as it meets the sea (e.g. deltas, tidal mudflats and salt marches)
• Floodplains: areas next to the permanent course of a river that extends to the edge of the valley (e.g. ox-bow lakes and river-islands)
http://www.wetlands.org/Aboutus/Whatarewetlands/Whatarewetlands/tabid/1994/Default.aspx






Ecology, Culture and Livelihood,

The Institute is located in the midst of an area where culture, ecology and livelihood come together. It fronts the Ramachandi River (named after the centuries old temple that was the site of a battle between Oriya forces and the Muslim commander Kala Pahad (black mountain). Across the river (which is about 150 meters wide, is a long strip of white sand beach beyond which lies the swirling surf of the Bay of Bengal. To the west, the Institute is accessed by a marine drive along the shores of the Bay of Bengal between Sun Temple of Konark (built in 13th Century AD and a UNESCO world heritage site) and Puri (which is where the 12th century Jagannath Temple is located). The river changes its course every few years. The low-laying wetlands area is a constant reminder of the what might happen if global warming one day led to rise is sea levels.

Surrounding the area are villages whose inhabitants depend on farming and traditional craft. The Institute is a short distance from the crafts town of Pipli, known for its appliqué work, a traditional handicraft of local people, and the art villages of Raghurajpur and Danda Sahi, whose inhabitants descend from families that made their living by supplying art work, including the famed Patta paintings, to the nearby temples.

The Institute is adjacent to a large sanctuary area, so designated by the government of Orissa. It has an abundance of casurina trees - which help to contain the force of tropical cyclonic winds –as well as mangroves.

The wetlands area has plenty of animals and birds, among them sand deers, egrets, crabs with a single large claw, kingfishers, and butterflies. Some of the flora and fauna found in the Wetlands Institute are presented in the photos included in the brochure.

Fauna
A kingfisher perched on a driftwood on the river's edge



Cattle Egrets
A pair of single-clawed Fiddler crabs
Tiny single clawed Fiddler crabs are an unique feature of our wetland

Protection of Wetlands

The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat, or Ramsar Convention, is an international treaty designed to address global concerns regarding wetland loss and degradation. The primary purposes of the treaty are to list wetlands of international importance and to promote their wise use, with the ultimate goal of preserving the world's wetlands. Methods include restricting access to the majority portion of wetland areas, as well as educating the public to combat the misconception that wetlands are wastelands. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wetland


The Sun Temple of Konark, a World Heritage site, is within walking distance
The reception building of the eco-resort adjacent to the Wetlands Institute

A magnificent sunset over the Bay of Bengal