Ramsar Site of International Importance
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands was signed in Ramsar, Iran, on February 2, 1971, and came into force in 1975. This treaty provides a framework for the conservation of wetlands of international importance, particularly those serving as habitats for waterfowl.
The primary goal of the treaty is to promote the conservation of wetlands while creating legal and institutional frameworks for their protection. To date, 170 countries have joined the convention, with a total of 2,331 designated wetlands covering 250 million hectares worldwide.
Hungary joined the treaty in 1979 and has since designated 29 wetlands that meet the criteria for inclusion in the Convention’s list. Over its 50-year history, the Ramsar Convention has become the most dynamically developing international conservation treaty and one of the most effective mechanisms for preserving wetlands and aquatic ecosystems globally.
The rapid degradation and transformation of wetlands in the second half of the 20th century prompted the swift establishment of the Convention. Initially, the primary aim was to protect the drastically declining waterfowl populations. However, experience soon showed that safeguarding isolated habitats was insufficient and that greater emphasis should be placed on their broader environment and connectivity.
Tata Old Lake was designated a Ramsar Site in 1989, with its protected area expanded in 2006 to encompass 1,897 hectares of wetland.
Ramsar City
On October 25, 2018, during the world conference in Dubai, attended by delegations from the countries that signed the Ramsar Convention, Mayor József Michl accepted the title of „Ramsar City” on behalf of Tata. This honorary designation is an international recognition of the town’s efforts to protect its wetlands.
