We have many more people to thank, and for good reason.

John James Audubon once wished for "eight pairs of hands" to accomplish everything he wanted to do.

Today the organization Audubon inspired reaches out to many partners.

In the 1960's, when Beidler Forest was threatened by logging, the National Audubon Society joined forces with The Nature Conservancy to raise the 1.5 million needed to acquire the initial 3,415 acres.

More acreage has since been added, but that partnership was pivotal to achieving this designation we celebrate today.

As you saw in the video, Francis Beidler Forest Sanctuary is home to the largest remaining virgin forest of bald cypress and tupelo gum trees in the world.

Its importance as habitat increases every year - as forests are encroached in South Carolina and around the world.

To combat this Audubon joined another partner, BirdLife International, based in England.

Their Important Bird Area program is a worldwide effort to first identify and then protect critical bird habitat. Over 8,000 sites in 178 countries have been identified as Important Bird Areas, with many national and regional IBA inventories published in 19 languages. Hundreds of these sites and millions of acres have received better protection as a result of the IBA Program. It's no coincidence that Beidler Forest was named an Important Bird Area in 2001.

As migrating birds make many stops on their long flights, we are trying to connect these dots of green to ensure a healthy environment for birds, other wildlife and for people.

WHAT DO THESE WETLANDS DO FOR PEOPLE?

Audubon's goal is to build a huge bio-reserve at Beidler Forest, leverage it to enhance the conservation of the entire Four Holes Swamp and its watershed.

In a very real sense, Audubon work upstream helps to guarantee the quantity, quality and delivery schedule of water downstream to places like the ACE Basin National Estuarine Reserve and Wildlife Refuge.

Armed with the Ramsar designation, it will be easier for us to spread the message of Beidler's importance. The recognition will help us to defend it from the many ongoing threats to its health, such as sprawl, poorly controlled mining and timber operations, and industrial agriculture. The Ramsar designation will show that the Beidler Forest is a place that deserves attention and protection.

Audubon will do its part by helping the world to understand why these wetlands, like IBAs, are vital.

Each year, Audubon inspires more than one million people of all ages and backgrounds to conserve nature though its network of Audubon Centers and education programs.

Our goal is to move people from awareness to understanding and concern, to conservation action.

Now the thousands of visitors who come to Beidler Forest Audubon Center, and those who visit the Audubon web site, will learn about Ramsar as part of our conservation story.

They will learn that Beidler Forest is indeed a wetland of global importance and that their concern for a very special place is shared by others around the world.

We are proud to have this designation, and we look forward to working closely with all of you as partners, to help shape a better tomorrow.