On February 2, 1971, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat, also known as the Convention on Wetlands, was signed in Ramsar, Iran. The idea for the convention was first raised in the 1960s. At the time, there were growing concerns that the continued destruction of wetlands would have an irreversible effect on people and animals, particularly waterbirds. Wetlands play an important role in nature and are an important habitat for several species of wildlife. The wetlands are also an efficient natural system that filters pollutants from the water, absorbs excess nutrients, and reduces flooding. To address these concerns, Eskandar Firouz, Luc Hoffmann and Geoffrey Matthews developed the idea of the Ramsar Convention – to encourage international cooperation in the protection and management of wetlands around the world. Representatives from seven nations met in Ramsar, Iran on February 2, 1971 to discuss and approve the convention, which went into effect on December 21, 1975. The seven initial participating countries were Australia, Finland, Greece, Iran, Norway, South Africa, and Sweden. In the years to come, the convention grew to over 170 countries, including the United States. They all meet every three years as the Conference of the Contracting Parties to oversee the current wetlands projects and suggest any possible improvements.