TEHRAN – Thanks to the restoration of Nowruzlu wetland in northwestern West Azarbaijan province, the first flock of flamingos have been spotted in the wetland.

Stretching about 1.2 thousand hectares, the wetland is home to many unique animals and birds, and plants like nettle, cypress, and reeds; it hosts different native and migrant bird species annually.

For the first time over the past two decades, the wetland has been fully revived thanks to good precipitation in recent months. Within the next few days, a large number of migratory birds are expected to fly here to nest and lay eggs, IRNA quoted Mousa Jasour, the head of the provincial department of environment, as saying.

Birds fly here to rest and feed because of strict security, sufficient food, abundant water in the wetland, he added.

In the Iranian year 1391 (2012 -2013), the wetland became a part of the protected areas in the country.

Iran’s geography is distinct, teeming with diverse landscapes. In Iran, 141 wetlands with ecological value, with an area of over 3 million hectares, have been identified, 27 of which were listed in the International Ramsar Convention.

The Department of Environment has announced the beginning of a new phase of the wetlands conservation project (2025 –2028) to strengthen sustainable livelihoods and alleviate pressure on the wetlands ecosystem.

Backed by successful experiences in Lake Urmia, the basins in Gilan, Fars, Parishan, and those in East and West Azerbaijan provinces, the project has provided the basis for promoting wetland protection and improving sustainable resource utilization, IRIB quoted Fereshteh Jadori, an official with DOE, as saying on November 25.

The pilot implementation of the project in Shadegan and Behbahan in the previous phase yielded significant results, and these achievements led the project to enter a new phase with the support of international institutions and domestic agencies, she added.

The official went on to highlight the role of technical and vocational education and training in empowering local people to protect wetlands and improve their income.

The most recent strategies taken for the conservation of the wetlands are as follows. In June 2025, the DOE and the Ministry of Agriculture signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to launch a national plan for empowering local communities to protect and promote the sustainable use of wetlands.

In February 2025, the DOE and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) extended their partnership by signing a three-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) to conserve Iranian wetlands projects in the country.

The MOU was signed by the head of DOE, Shina Ansari, and Resident Representative ad interim for UNDP in Iran, Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labé, in a meeting in Bushehr province, ISNA reported.