The wetlands, locally known as ‘demb’, appear timeless on Kashmiri winter mornings when mist gently lifts from the water and the first calls of migratory birds ripple across the sky. Beneath this beauty, however, is a silent crisis. The marshes, lakes, and floodplains that formerly characterized the Valley’s ecological rhythm are contracting, choking, and, in many cases, vanishing often without protest and occasionally without notice.

Kashmir’s wetlands are not merely stretches of water. They are living systems that breathe with the seasons from the vast expanse of Wular Lake to the reed-filled sanctuaries of Hokersar, Shallabugh and Mirgund, from the urban pulse of Dal to the calm waters of Manasbal. Together, they form the ecological spine of the Valley.

World is facing serious climate crises and the soil present in wetlands hold the maximum amount of carbon, the wetlands can help to fight against the climate change and no longer can we afford to lose them.

Why Wetlands of Kashmir matter?

Today, when our planet faces the worst environmental crisis, wetlands prove to be small patches of resilient fighters. Wetland ecosystems have the ability to maintain air quality by extracting aerosols and chemical compounds from the atmosphere and their biologically mediated processes stabilize the micro-climate of the valley.

Being ecotones (transitional land between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem), Kashmir’s wetlands support a rich and fragile web of life, shaped by cold climate, seasonal flooding, and nutrient-rich waters fed by snowmelt from the Himalayas. They help in local climate regulation, carbon sequestration, flood mitigation and water purification.

Aquatic plants like Pondweeds, Hornwort and Water milfoil are submerged species vital for oxygenation and fish habitat. They also stabilise sediments and provide breeding grounds for fish and invertebrates. Common reed, Cattail, Bulrush and Sedges are some emergent marshy vegetation that act as natural flood buffers, nesting sites for birds and a source of livelihood like mat-making and thatching.

Kashmir wetlands are part of the Central Asian Flyway, hosting thousands of migratory birds each winter like Bar-headed geese, Northern Pintail, Mallard, Common Teal, Gadwall etc. that attract photographers and wildlife enthusiasts from across India and globe. Resident Birds like Common Coot,........

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