Guidelines for implementation of the wise use concept...

Published:

January2000

CONVENTION ON WETLANDS

(Ramsar, Iran 1971)

Guidelines for implementation of the wise use concept

Additional guidance on implementation of the wise use concept

Developing and implementing National Wetland PoliciesReviewing laws and institutions to promote the conser vation and wiseuse of wetlands

Integrating wetland conservation and wise use into river basinmanagement

Establishing and strengthening local communities’ and indigenouspeople’s participation in the management of wetlands

Promoting the conservation and wise use of wetlands throughcommunication,education and public awareness – The OutreachProgramme of the Convention on Wetlands

Strategic Framework and guidelines for the future development of theList of Wetlands of International Importance

Frameworks for managing Wetlands of International Importance andother wetlands

Guidelines for international cooperation under the Ramsar Conventionon Wetlands

All handbooks are available in English, French and Spanish. The Ramsar Bureau wouldwelcome any offers to translate and print these handbooks, in consultation with theBureau, in other languages.

Handbooks can be obtained upon request from:

The Ramsar Convention BureauRue Mauverney 28CH-1196 GlandSwitzerlandTel.:+41 22 999 0170Fax.:+41 22 999 0169e-mail: [email protected] site: http://ramsar.org

Handbook Covers 29/08/0 11:37 AM Page 2

The Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran,1971) is an intergovernmental

treaty whose mission is “the conservation and wise use of wetlands by

national action and international cooperation as a means to achieving

sustainable development throughout the world”. Presently 116 nations

have joined the Convention as Contracting Parties, and more than 1000

wetlands around the world have been designated for inclusion in the

Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.

What are wetlands?As defined by the Convention, wetlands include a wide variety of habitats

such as marshes, peatlands, floodplains, rivers and lakes, and coastal areas

such as saltmarshes, mangroves, and seagrass beds, but also coral reefs and

other marine areas no deeper than six metres at low tide, as well as human-

made wetlands such as waste-water treatment ponds and reservoirs.

About this series of handbooks This series has been pre p a red by the secre t a ri at of the Co nve nt i o n

(the Ramsar Bureau) following the 7th Meeting of the Conference of the

Contracting Parties (COP7) held in San José, Costa Rica,in May 1999. The

San José conference was notable for adopting guidelines under each of the

three main obligations under the Convention – Wise Use, Wetlands of

International Importance and International Cooperation – to add to guid-

ance adopted by previous COPs. These guidelines have been prepared as a

series of handbooks to assist those with an interest in,or directly involved

w i t h , i m p l e m e nt ation of the Co nve ntion at either the inte rn at i o n a l ,

regional,national,subnational or local levels.

The handbooks have been prepared in the three working lan-

guages of the Convention (English, French and Spanish) and incorporate,

where appropriate, material from case studies designed to illustrate key

aspects of the guidelines. The full text of most case studies can be found on

the World Wide Web site of the Convention at http://ramsar.org/.

The table on the inside back cover illustrates the full scope of the

subjects covered by this handbook series at present, though other hand-

books may be added at a later date. For simplicity of presentation, the

series are listed under the three main obligations under the Convention,

but it is important to note that the Ramsar Convention promotes an

integrated package of actions to ensure the conservation and wise use of

wetlands. In recognition of these integrated approaches, the reader will

find that within each handbook there are numerous signposts or cross-ref-

erences to others in the series.

Copyright © 2000, Ramsar Convention

Bureau

Citation: Ramsar Convention Bureau,

2000. Ramsar handbooks for the wise use

of wetlands. Ramsar Convention Bureau,

Gland, Switzerland.

Reproduction of material from the

publication for educational and other

non-commercial purposes is authorized

without prior permission from the

Ramsar Bureau, providing full

acknowledgement is given.

ISBN: 2-940073-26-0

Design and layout: L’IV Communications, Morges, SwitzerlandSeries Editor: A.J. HailsPrinted by: Industrias Gozaka S.A., San José, Costa Rica

Wise use of wetlands

Developing and implementing

National Wetland Policies

Reviewing laws and institutions

to promote the conservation and

wise use of wetlands

Integrating wetland

conservation and wise use into

river basin management

Establishing and strengthening

local communities’ and

indigenous people’s participation

in the management of wetlands

Promoting the conservation and

wise use of wetlands through

communication,education and

public awareness - The Outreach

Programme of the Convention

on Wetlands

Strategic Framework and

guidelines for the future

development of the List of

Wetlands of International

Importance

Frameworks for managing


Importance and other wetlands –

including:

Guidelines on management

planning for Ramsar sites and

other wetlands

Guidelines for describing and

maintaining the ecological

character of Listed sites

Framework for designing a

wetland monitoring

programme

Guidelines for operation of

the Montreux Record (of sites

where changes in ecological

character have occurred, are

occurring, or likely to occur)

Wetland Risk Assessment

Framework

Guidelines for international

cooperation under the Ramsar

Convention on Wetlands – which

covers:

Management of shared

wetlands and river basins


wetland-dependent species

Partnerships between

Conventions and agencies

Sharing knowledge and

expertise

Development assistance

Foreign investment and

business sector codes of

conduct

(including guidelines adopted by the 7th Conference of the Contracting Parties, San José, Costa Rica, 1999)


The publication of this Ramsar Handbook series was madepossible through a generous contribution from the Biodiversity

Foundation of the Ministry of Environment in Spain.

Funding for the publication of the proceedings of the 7th Meeting of the Conference ofthe Contracting Parties to Ramsar, held in Costa Rica on 10-18 M ay 1999, was also madeavailable to the Government of Costa Rica by the Spanish Agency for InternationalCooperation (AECI). The Ramsar Handbook series constitutes an integral part of theCOP7 proceedings and was printed in Costa Rica.

Ministerio de Medio Ambiente

F Ramsar handbooks for the wise use of wetlands2

The Guidelines for the implementation of the wise use concept and the Additional guidance on implementation of the wiseuse concept were adopted by the 4th and 5th Ramsar Conferences of the Contracting Parties, in 1990 and 1993 respec-tively. They were published by the Convention in 1993 in the booklet ‘Towards the Wise Use of Wetlands’, which alsoincluded 17 case studies from around the world. This publication remains available and the case studies continue to beas valid and informative today as in 1993.

This series of handbooks for implementation of the Convention would be incomplete without the inclusion of thesetwo landmark sets of guidance with which the Convention is now synonymous and which underpin all aspects of itswork. They are presented here in an integrated way, bringing together for the first time the respective parts of eachwhich are most closely related. This has been done while preserving the basic text of these two sets of guidance asadopted by the respective Conferences of the Contracting Parties.

In this present format the Wise Use Guidelines adopted at COP4 provide the basic framework and the relevant sectionsfrom the Additional Guidance adopted at COP5 are shown in shaded boxes.

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands aims to discourage policies, laws and attitudes that allow unsustainable-unwise actions such as this. Photo: WWF-Canon/H. Jungius

3F Handbook 1 G Wise use of wetlands

Foreword 2

Introduction 5

Establishment of National Wetland Policies 7

1. Actions to improve institutional and organizational arrangements 72. Actions to address legislation and government policies 103. Actions to increase knowledge and awareness of wetlands and their values 134. Actions to review the status of, and identify priorities for, all wetlands in a national context 165. Actions to address problems at particular wetland sites 18

Priority actions at national level 21

Priority actions at particular wetland sites 21

Appendix I Recommendation 4.10: Guidelines for the implementation of the wise use concept 22

Appendix II Resolution 5.6: The wise use of wetlands 24


Article 3.1 of the Convention states that the Contracting Parties “shall formulate and implement their planning so as topromote the conservation of the wetlands included in the List, and as far as possible the wise use of wetlands in theirterritory”.

The 3rd meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties in Regina, Canada, from 27 May to 5 June 1987, adopt-ed the following definition of wise use of wetlands:

“The wise use of wetlands is their sustainable utilization for the benefit of humankind in a way compatible with themaintenance of the natural properties of the ecosystem”.

Sustainable utilization is defined as “human use of a wetland so that it may yield the greatest continuous benefit topresent generations while maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations of future generations”.

Natural properties of the ecosystem are defined as “those physical, biological or chemical components, such as soil,water, plants, animals and nutrients, and the interactions between them”.

The wise use provisions apply to all wetlands and their support systems within the territory of a Contracting Party,both those wetlands designated for the List and all other wetlands. The concept of wise use seeks both the formulationand implementation of general wetland policies and wise use of specific wetlands. These activities are integral parts ofsustainable development.

(adopted as the Annex to Recommendation 4.10 by the 4th Conference of the Contracting Parties, Montreux, Switzerland, 1990)

(adopted as the Annex to Resolution 5.6 by the 5th Conference of the Contracting Parties, Kushiro, Japan, 1993)


It is desirable, in the long term, that all Contracting Parties should have comprehensive national wetland policies, for-mulated in whatever manner is appropriate to their national institutions. However as recognized by the report of theWorkshop on Wise Use of the Regina Meeting [Conference of the Contracting Parties], elaboration of national wetlandpolicies will be a long-term process, and immediate action should be taken to stimulate wise use. The guidelines pre-sented below therefore include both elements for comprehensive national wetland policies and priority actions. r

In the early years of the Convention,the wise use pro-

vision proved to be difficult to apply. Most attention

was f ocused upon the designation of sites on to the

Ramsar List in line with global priorities to secure the

conservation of internationally important areas. Over

time, as the essential need to integrate conservation

and development has become recognized throughout

the wo rl d, the Co nt ra cting Pa rties to the Ra m s a r

Convention have made wise use a central theme for

the functioning of the Convention.

In 1990, the Ramsar Convention Bureau initiated the

coordination of a three-year project on the wise use of

wetlands funded by the Gove rn m e nt of Th e

Netherlands.The Wise Use Working Group [established

by the 4th Conference of the Contracting Parties in

Mo nt re u x , Sw i t ze rland] was also re q u e s ted by the

Montreux meeting to oversee the implementation of

this projec t, which comprises a series of case studies

demonstrating applications of the wise use concept in

d i f fe re nt eco l og i cal and soc i o - e conomic situat i o n s

throughout the world.

Several basic conclusions can be drawn from the case

studies considered under this project:

1) Social and economic factors are the main re a-

sons for wetland loss and there fo re need to be

of ce nt ral co n ce rn in wise use prog ra m m e s.

2 ) Special at te ntion needs to be given to the loca l

po p u l ations who will be the first to be n e f i t

f rom improved management of wetland site s.

The values that indigenous people can bring to

all aspe cts of wise use need special re cog n i t i o n .

3) Although one agency may be responsible for

coo rd i n ating national action to co n s e rve

wetlands, other public and private institu-

tions have expertise which is of importance

for effe ct i ve long-te rm wetland manage-

ment. Wise use programmes should seek to

i nvo l ve and, w h e re appro p ri ate, wo rk

through these partners.

4) Specific site projects may often demonstrate

the need for more general institutional

requirements for the wise use of wetlands .

5) Where wetlands form an integral part of a

wider coastal zone or catchment, wise use

must also take into account the problems of

the surrounding coastal zone or catchment.

6) While comprehensive understanding of the

ecological constraints of a wetland system

should be sought, activities affecting wet-

lands need to be governed by the ‘precau-

tionary principle’ when such knowledge is

not available. In other words, if the impact of

s pecific actions is not clearly understood,

then these actions should be prohibited even

if there is insufficient evidence to prove a

direct link between the activities and result-

ing wetland degradation.

In view of the lessons learned from the case studies

and further analysis by the Wise Use Working G roup,

additional guidance is proposed to the Contracting

Parties to the Ramsar Convention for the application of

the wise use provision of the Convention. This guid-

ance must be applied in the light of other national and

i nte rn ational obligations for nat u re co n s e rvat i o n ,

including the co n s e rvation of biod i ve r s i ty, c l i m ate

change and pollution control measures, as adopted by

the UN Conference on Environment and Development

(UNCED, Rio, 1992) and in other in ternational fora.

The 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity is of spe-

cial relevance for the conservation and wise use of

wetlands, and the preparation of national biodiversity

strategies, action plans and programmes as required

under the Convention on Biological Diversity may pro-

vide good opportunities to include wetland conser va-

tion and wise use on a wider scale.


which includes guidance on:

Why are wetland policies needed?

What is a wetland policy?

The relationship between policy and wise use

Considerations for a National Wetland Committee

National issues statement and background paper

Defining wetlands at a national level

Defining stakeholders and initiating national consultations

Objectives for a National Wetland Policy and policy

implementation strategies

Seeking government endorsement and approval

Defining who is responsible for implementation

Developing implementation guidelines and defining

resource needs

Interministerial harmonization

Establishing a national monitoring programme

National wetland policies should as far as possible address all problems and activities related to wetlands within anational context. These may be grouped in different sections:

.

1. Actions to improve institutionaland organizational arrangements,including:

(a) establishment of institutional arrangements which will allow those concerned to identify how wetlandconservation can be achieved, and how wetland priorities can be fully integrated into the planning process;and

(b) establishment of mechanisms and procedures for incorporating an integrated multidisciplinary approach into planning and execution of projects concerning wetlands and their support systems, in order to secure wetland conservation and sustainable development.

For more detailed guidance on National Wetland Policies, consult:


I.1Institutional and organizational arrange-ments

1) The main message given by the wise use guidelines

is that the wise use of wetlands requires a coordi-

nated approach on a national scale; this necessi-

tates planning, which can be in the framework of

wetland policies, conservation policies or policies

with a broader scope (environment, application of

water laws, or resource planning);institutional and

administrative arrangements should be made.

Obstacles to the development of national wetland

policies may however include:

S a lack of institutional mechanisms designed to

encourage the involvement of both public and

private sectors of the society, at regional or

local level as well as at national le vel;

S i n s u f f i c i e nt coo rd i n ation among public agencies;

S policies that discourage conservation and wise

use objectives;

S inadequate policy research programmes;and

S lack of coo pe rat i ve arra n g e m e nts with

neighbouring countries for joint management

of shared wetlands or wetland species.

2) There are many different ways in which countries

may attempt to overcome these obstacles.

A few examples can be given:

S At international level, countries may wish to

establish cross-boundary water commissions

or other coordinating boards to avoid action in

one country adversely affecting wetlands in


Interpreting Article 5 of the Ramsar Convention

Managing shared wetlands and river basins

Managing shared wetland-dependent species

Ramsar working in partnership with in ternational/regional

environment Conventions and agencies

Sharing of expertise and information

International assistance to support the conser vation and


Sustainable harvesting and international trade in wetland-

derived plant and animal products

Regulation of foreign investment to ensure wetland

conservation and wise use

For more detailed guidance on international cooperation, consult:


another country and to guarantee that water

quality and quantity are maintained in such a

way as to preserve the functional values of

wetlands. In addition, countries that are range

s t ates for migrato ry species depe n d e nt on

wetlands may wish to establish coordinated

co n s e rvation prog rammes for those spe c i e s

and set common guidelines on development

aid in the field of conser vation and wise use of

wetlands.

S At national level, countries might create inter-

m i n i s te rial bo a rds or co m m i s s i o n s, n at i o n a l

wetland co m m i t tees or other bodies to

oversee coo rd i n ation and coo pe ration fo r

wetland management. These bodies should

include a wide re p re s e nt ation (based on a

catchment approach) from the authorities with

responsibility for wetlands and might include

g ove rn m e nt agencies dealing with

environment, nature conservation, agriculture,

forestry, aquaculture, hunting, fishing, shipping,

tourism,mining, industry, health,development

assistance, and other relevant subjects; they

should also include interested governmental

and non-gove rn m e ntal co n s e rvat i o n

organizations.

S At local leve l , co u nt ries might establish

procedures to guarantee that local populations

are involved in the decision-making process

related to wetland use and to provide local

po p u l ations with sufficient kn owledge of

planned activities to assure their meaningful

participation in this decision-making process.

There should be established working groups or

advisory boards representing users, NGOs and local

authorities. r


Why community involvement is beneficial

Lessons learned from community involvement

Incentives;trust;flexibility; knowledge exchange and

capacity building; continuity

Monitoring and evaluating the involvement of local people

in wetland management

For more detailed guidance on participatory management consult:


2. Actions to address legislationand government policies,including:

(a) review of existing legislation and policies (including subsidies and incentives) which affect wetlandconservation;

(b) application, where appropriate, of existing legislation and policies of importance for the conservation ofwetlands;

(c) adoption, as required, of new legislation and policies; and

(d) use of development funds for projects which permit conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlandresources.


The purpose of a legal and institutional review

Establishing political and institutional responsibility for the

review

Defining the review methodology

Establishing a knowledge base of relevant legal and

institutional measures

Evaluating the knowledge base

Recommending legal and institutional changes necessary to

support conservation and wise use

For more detailed guidance on wetland legislation and institutions, consult:


I.2 Policy/Legislation and other appropriatemeasures

Gove rn m e nts can use seve ral instru m e nts to pro m o te

po l i cy such as legislat i ve too l s ;f i ve diffe re nt mechanisms

a re nece s s a ry in order to implement wise use in pra ct i ce :

1) Pe ri od i cal rev i ew of existing legislation to ensure

t h at it is generally co m p atible with the wise use obli-

g at i o n , and make adjustments if nece s s a ry; t h i s

applies to particular legislation re g a rding mandato-

ry wetland destru ction or to that which enco u ra g e s

such destru ction through tax benefits and subsidies.

2) General wise use legislation for wetlands should

consider the following:

S inclusion of wetlands in the zones of land-use

plans which enjoy the highest degree of

protection;

S institution of a pe rmit sys tem for act i v i t i e s

a f fe cting we t l a n d s. This should include a

threshold under which a permit would not be

required, as well as a general exemption for

activities which, because of their nature, are

deemed to be co m p atible with any

performance obligation;

S execution of an env i ro n m e ntal impact

assessment in order to determine if a proposed

p ro j e ct is co m p atible with the genera l

requirements of wise use and the maintenance

of the ecological character of the wetlands

co n ce rn e d. Special rules re l ating to the

co nte nts of an env i ro n m e ntal impact

assessment will be needed in order to ensure

that no important factor specifically rela ted to

wetlands is overlooked. The cumulative effects

of separate projects should also be taken into

consideration.

Environmental impact assessments should

also be prepared not only for activities and

projects in the wetlands concerned but also for

activities outside these areas when they may

h ave significa nt effe ct on we t l a n d s.

Environmental impact assessments should also

cover the long-te rm effe cts of pro po s e d

activities, projects, plans and programmes as

well as interactions between all components of

the water system at the catchment level.

S monitoring of the effects of authorized actions

and carrying out unbiased enviromental audits

of these actions when they have be e n

completed;

S institution of a sys tem of management

a g re e m e nts be tween re l eva nt gove rn m e nt

a g e n c i e s, l a n d owners and land-users to

provide for positive management measures by

the lat ter when this is re q u i red for the

maintenance of the ecosystem;

S provision of financial incentives including taxes

and subsidies to encourage activities which are

compatible with the maintenance of wetlands,

and which promote and contribute to their

conservation. Financial tax incentives should

not permit activities which have detrimental

effects upon wetlands;

S obligation to refrain from introducing invasive

alien species and to take preventive measures

to minimize the risk of accident a l

i nt rod u ct i o n s ; existing guidelines for these

purposes need to be taken into consideration;

S obligation to make all appropriate efforts to

eradicate introduced and translocated species

which may cause significa nt eco l og i ca l

disturbances in water systems and, in addition,

p rovide for the po s s i b i l i ty of claiming civil

damages from those responsible for unlawful

introductions;and

S right of appeal by private organizations against

governmental agency decisions which might

violate obligations laid down by law.

3) Legislation for the conservation and wise use of

specific wetland sites (e.g. Ramsar sites, ecologically

sensitive areas , areas with a high degree of biodi-

versity, sites containing endemic species, wetland

nature reserves).

Such legislation will generally apply to large wet-

land areas where human activities compatible with

the conservation of the ecosystem should be main-

tained, encouraged and developed for the benefit

of local populations. This legislation will be in addi -

tion to those provisions laid down in the previous

p a ra g raph in re s pe ct of wetlands in genera l . It

should consider the following points:

S definition of a special legal status for large

wetland areas allowing for the control of any

po te ntially damaging act i v i ty, i n c l u d i n g

agriculture, forestry, tourism, fishing, hunting,

aquaculture;

S division of those wetlands into different zones

with particular regulations applying to each

ty pe of zo n e ; these re g u l ations would be

defined to ensure that the carrying capacity of


the area concerned is not exceeded in respec t

of each activity authorized;

S e n co u ra g e m e nt of traditional and other

ecological and sustainable activities in these

areas through incentives and advice;

S e s t a b l i s h m e nt of a management sys tem in

each area which should have legal support and

of a management body to oversee the

implementation and to ensure that regulations

are observed;

S a s s oc i ation of po p u l ations living in or

close to the area with its management,

through appropriate representation; scientific

institutions and co n s e rvation NGOs should

also be associated with management, at least

in an advisory capacity;

S application of special environmental impact

assessment rules to these areas in view of their

particular environmental sensitivity; and

S submission of activities which may have

a dverse effe cts on the are a , to env i ro n m e nt a l

i m p a ct assessment or to other fo rms of

eva l u at i o n . Such activities should only be

a u t h o ri zed when the eva l u ation has shown that

no significa nt damage to the area will oc c u r.

4) Review of division of jurisdiction among govern-

ment agencies.

This issue, which co n ce rns both te rri to rial and func-

tional mat te r s,o ften co n s t i t u tes a co n s i d e rable obsta-

cle to inte g rated management of wetlands since it

needs to be based on a catc h m e nt-wide appro a c h.

A rev i ew of legal and administrat i ve co n s t ra i nt s

which preve nt management at the co rre ct sca l e

( e. g. , catc h m e nt-wide management) should be

u n d e rt a ken with a view to developing appro p ri-

ate solutions to juri s d i ctional pro b l e m s. Pa rt i c u l a r

at te ntion should be paid to the need to manage

coastal wetlands as single units, i rre s pe ct i ve of

the usual division of juri s d i ction be tween land

and sea.


What is integrated river basin management ?

Developing and strengthening of policy and legislation for

integrated water resources management

Establishing river basin management authorities and

strengthening of institutional capacity

Involving stakeholders, community participation and public

awareness

Assessing and enhancing the role of wetlands in w ater

management

Identifying current and future supply and demand for w ater

Minimising the impacts of land use and development

projects on wetlands and their biodiversit y

Maintaining natural water regimes to maintain wetlands

Protecting and restoring wetlands, and their biodiversity, in

the context of river basin management

Special issues related to shared river basin and wetland

systems

For more detailed guidance on wetlands and river basin management, consult:


5) Deve l o p m e nt of coo pe rat i ve arra n g e m e nts fo r

water systems shared between two or more coun-

tries to achieve wise use.

This will entail the conclusion of agreements for the

conservation, management and wise use of such

systems as required by A rticle 5 of the Convention.

As re l eva nt, e l e m e nts of the pre s e nt guidance

should be used in the development of these agree-

ments. Furthermore, such actions need to be pur-

sued in coordination with or through other existing

treaties such as the 1992 Helsinki Convention on

the Pro te ction and Use of Tra n s bo u n d a ry

Wate rcourses and Inte rn ational La ke s, the 1979

Bonn Convention on the Conservation of Migratory

Species of Wild Animals and the 1991 Es poo

Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment

in a Transboundary Context. r

3. Actions to increase knowledge and awareness of wetlands and their values,including:

(a) interchange of experience and information on wetland policy, conservation and wise use between countriespreparing and/or implementing national wetland policies, or pursuing wetland conservation;

(b) increasing the awareness and understanding of decision-makers and the public of the full benefits and values,within the terms of wise use, of wetlands. Among these benefits and values, which can occur on or off thewetland itself, are:

S sediment and erosion control,S flood control,S maintenance of water quality and abatement of pollution,S maintenance of surface and underground water supply,S support for fisheries, grazing and agriculture,S outdoor recreation and education for human society,S provision of habitat for wildlife, especially waterfowl, andS contribution to climatic stability;

(c) review of traditional techniques of wise use, and elaboration of pilot projects which demonstrate wise use ofrepresentative wetland types; and

(d) training of appropriate staff in the disciplines which will assist in implementation of wetland conservationaction and policies.


II Knowledge of wetlands and their values

In order to manage we t l a n d s, it is nece s s a ry to have ade-

q u ate kn owledge of their funct i o n i n g. To pro m o te and

apply the wise use of we t l a n d s, i nve nto ry, re s e a rc h ,m o n-

i to ring and training activities should be undert a ke n .

The values of wetlands need to be much more widely

promoted in educational programmes and to the gen-

eral public. Special attention should be devoted to tar-

geting audiences by taking geographical, economic,

and po l i t i cal co n s i d e rations into acco u nt. Di f fe re nt

mechanisms should be used to approach each target

audience.

Some countries have had considerable experience in

the application of the wise use concept. Important

sources of information are the case studies on wise use

published by the Ramsar Co nve ntion Bu re a u. Th e

Bureau, with the assistance of its partners, could be

used as a focal point for information pertaining to wise

use implementation.

II.3 Research

Research can be anything that expands upon basic

knowledge. Particular areas that may deserve atten-

tion are both identification and quantification of wet-

land values, sustainability of wetland use, and land-

s ca pe functioning and mod i f i cat i o n . Co nt ra ct i n g

Parties should take positive steps to acquire and, when

possible, share any knowledge de veloped on wetland

values, functions and uses.

1) Priority research actions may include:

S The development of a vocabulary of terms,

understandable world-wide;

S The deve l o p m e nt of means to emphasize

l a n d s ca pe or catc h m e nt approaches in

management;

S The development of techniques for monitoring

e co l og i cal change and fo re casting the

evolution of wetland characteristics under the

pressure of present uses;

S The improvement of the knowledge base of

wetland functions and values, especially the

socio-economic values of wetlands, in order to

l e a rn about the traditional management

techniques of the local populations and their

needs;

S The improvement of the knowledge of the

s c i e ntific classification of wetlands micro -

organisms, plants and animals, and the lodging

of study specimens with museums or other

appropriate institutions;

S The deve l o p m e nt of method o l ogies to

evaluate sustainable practices;

S The provision of the data on which

a l te rn at i ve/wise use te c h n o l ogies can be

developed;

S The development of techniques for restoration

of wetlands.

2) The above-mentioned research questions repre-

sent an indication of needs. In practice, it can be

ex pe cted that the number of specific re s e a rc h

questions to be addressed will increase as progress

is made in natural resource programmes. Research

priorities must be based on management needs.

II.4 Training

1) Attention should be devoted to four aspects of

training:

S The definition of training needs

S The differing needs between regions, countries

and sites

Ex pe rtise may not always be available and

some key aspects of wise use may not be

covered in the existing programme. These key

aspects must be considered as priorities for

further training activities. Therefore, the first

s tep in establishing a training prog ra m m e

should be to ca rry out a training needs

analysis.

S The target audience

Th e re is a huge diffe re n ce be tween edu-

cational and awa reness prog rammes and

professional training. Generally, it can be said

that while the general public and senior policy

makers should be made aware of ecological,


c u l t u ra l , s ocial and eco n o m i cal values of

wetland eco s ys te m s, t raining should be

provided for those who are directly involved in

a d m i n i s te ring and pra ctising we t l a n d

management. Training sessions should focus

on the most up-to - d ate methods fo r

implementing wise use. Such sessions need

also to be organized for judicial authorities and

other law enforcement officials.

S The subject

Training should furnish wetland managers and

a d m i n i s t rators with the pro fessional kn ow-

ledge needed for establishing, defending, and

i m p l e m e nting the co n cept of wise use of

wetlands.

2) Three broad types of training appear to be of par-

ticular relevance for wetland professionals:

S Courses on integrated management

Training should seek to bring together spe c i a l i s t s

f rom diffe re nt fields to generate a co m m o n

understanding and a common approach to

wetland management and planning;

S Courses on wetland management techniques

Training should seek to provide the

p a rt i c i p a nts with the most up-to - d ate and

e f fe ct i ve techniques of inve nto ry, p l a n n i n g,

monitoring, environmental impact assessment

(EIA) and restoration;

S Courses for field staff

Wardens and rangers need to have a very basic

understanding of the concept of wise use and

to be able to deal with day-to-day situations

such as enforcement of legislation and public

awareness.

The deve l o p m e nt of training manuals and

other re s o u rce mate rials should be an

i m po rt a nt long-te rm goal for any tra i n i n g

programme.

3) Training methods and resources

Training activities and tra n s fer of appro p ri ate

knowledge should be an integrated component of

all wise use projects. Those activities should be as

catalytic as possible, and seek to train potential

trainers at regional level who can then pass on their

expertise to lower levels, and involve the coopera-

tion of gove rn m e ntal and non-gove rn m e nt a l

organizations, using local resources and institutions

whenever possible.

II.5 Education and public awareness

Education and public awareness (EPA) are fundamen-

tally different from the training required by profes-

sional staff in order to manage wetlands wisely.

Education is the deeper and longer-term process of

change in individuals, and their deve l o p m e nt of

longer-term skills and values; awareness is an individ-

ual’s state of knowledge, which often precedes and

stimulates more interest, and leads to further learning

and action.

The values of wetlands have not yet been communi-

cated effectively to the public at large through EPA

programmes. Most people do not know what wet-

lands are and, even if they do, they tend to see them as

wastelands, which do not generate the public support

that has been generated for tropical forests. Improving

EPA for wetlands is fundamental to achieving wise use.

The following activities are required:

S Definition of the target audiences

Awareness programmes should be designed

for management authorities, landowners, local

government officials, communities depending

on wetland resources for their livehood, and

the general public.

S Market research

This should identify the most appropriate

techniques for increasing awa reness of the va l u e s

of wetlands in diffe re nt regions of the wo rl d.

S EPA campaigns

E PA will only wo rk through a bo t to m - u p

a p p ro a c h . Howeve r, a gre at deal could be

a c h i eved through globally or nat i o n a l l y

coordinated campaigns, which would enable

sharing of materials and expertise, as well as

generating the necessary momentum to raise

the global profile of wetlands. r



Defining the challenge

What are the goals and rationale of Outreach efforts?

Identifying the target groups

Defining the actors

The tools and frameworks for action

Reviewing needs, capacities and opportunities

Strategic planning processes

Communication between the actors

Undertaking campaigns and sharing resour ce materials

The roles of formal education and training

Involving centres for education and awareness raising

4. Actions to review the status of,and identify priorities for,all wetlands in a national context,including:

(a) execution of a national inventory of wetlands including classification of the sites;

(b) identification and evaluation of the benefits and values of each site (see 3b above);

(c) definition of the conservation and management priorities for each site, in accordance with the needs andconditions of each Contracting Party.

For more detailed guidance on commu n i c ation and awa re n e s s - raising activities, consult:


II.1 Inventory

Inventories can produce information in the form of

maps, check-lists, regional analyses, narratives of eco-

logical or cultural resources. However, they need not

be elaborate to be useful. The goals of an inventory

may vary so that defining goals will help to determine

the methods and extent of each inventory.

1) Some goals for an inventory may include:

S identification of resources (ecological, cultural

and traditional);

S d e te rm i n ation of these re s o u rces in

geographic or socio-economic context;

S identification of known uses of wetlands;

S i d e nt i f i cation of pri o rities for re s e a rc h

(improved knowledge base),management and

protection;

S i d e nt i f i cation of pre s e nt and po te nt i a l

problems;

S provision of a tool for future planning and

monitoring.

A wetland inventory should not be seen as a final

document,but rather as a continuing process. It can

be a long term commitment for both collecting and

u pd ating info rm at i o n . I nve nto ries may include

input from various disciplines, such as ecology, lim-

n o l ogy, hyd ro l ogy, s ocial science s, a g ro n o my,

w i l d l i fe management, f i s h e ri e s, as well as input

from policy makers.

2) Possible applications of an inventory may include:

S base-line info rm ation for land-use and

management planning;

S base-line for future monitoring;

S information for impact assessments;

S ava i l a b i l i ty of data through publication of

regional, national or local inventories such as

those carried out for Africa,Asia,the Neotropics

and Oceania;

S p rovision of quantifiable data for future

management application;

S tools for re cognizing diminishing or

threatened types of wetlands;

S d rawing assoc i ations be tween we t l a n d

types/sizes with socio-cultural uses and needs

to help develop standardized approaches for

these classifications;and

S setting of priority actions whether for research,

policy or management.

II.2 Monitoring

Monitoring is the process of measuring change in eco-

logical character in any wetland over a period of time.

1) The following points should be observed in any

monitoring effort:

S The need to produce objective information;

S The need to follow up any activity taking place

in a wetland;

S The knowledge gained from a specific project

or activity, but also from activities taking place

in similar wetlands.

Monitoring can be carried out at different levels of

intensity, depending on available funding and/or

technology. It should be noted that monitoring

does not automatically require sophisticated tech-

nology or high investment.

2) The following approaches might be used:

S Changes in wetland area or catc h m e nt

u t i l i z ation can be monito red by re m o te

sensing or field obser vations;

S Ecological character and productivity can be

m o n i to red using available info rm ation or

quantitative sampling techniques;

S Changes in social values and uses may be

monitored by participatory observation. r


5. Actions to address problemsat particular wetland sites,including:

(a) integration from the outset of environmental considerations in planning of projects which might affect thewetland (including full assessment of their environmental impact before approval, continuing evaluationduring their execution, and full implementation of necessary environmental measures). The planning,assessment and evaluation should cover projects upstream of the wetland, those in the wetland itself, andother projects which may affect the wetland, and should pay particular attention to maintaining the benefitsand values listed in 3(b) above;

(b) regulated utilization of the natural elements of wetland systems such that they are not over-exploited;

(c) establishment, implementation and, as necessary, periodic revision of management plans which involve localpeople and take account of their requirements;

(d) designation for the Ramsar List of wetlands identified as being of international importance;

(e) establishment of nature reserves at wetlands, whether or not they are included in the List; and

(f ) serious consideration of restoration of wetlands whose benefits and values have been diminished or degraded.

which includes guidance on:The vision,objectives and short-term targets for the List of

Wetlands of International Importance

Wetlands of International Importance and the Ramsar

principle of wise use

Guidelines for taking a systematic approach to identifying

priority wetlands for designation under the Ramsar

Convention

Guidelines for identifying and designating karst and other

subterranean hydrological systems as Wetlands of

International Importance

Criteria for identifying Wetlands of International

Importance, guidelines for their applic ation,and long-

term targets

Ramsar’s Wetland Classification System;

For more detailed guidance on Ramsar site designation, consult:


III Action at particular wetland sites

III.1 Ecological aspects

Wetland management should be an inte g rate d

process, taking into account the criteria of time and

space. It needs to incorporate long term, sustainable

goals. It also needs to take into account the catchment

approach. As an integrated process, it needs to incor-

porate different uses and activities that are compatible

with sustainability.

This management also needs to incorporate an inter-

disciplinary approach that reflects the wide variety of

human endeavours, drawing inter alia upon principles

of biology, economics, policy and social sciences. In

many cases, it also needs to respond to global con-

ce rn s, e s pecially as they re l ate to shared spe c i e s,

s h a red water sys te m s, and to the issue of global

change.

III.2 Human activities

In order to achieve wise use of wetlands, it is necessary

to attain a balance that ensures the maintenance of all

wetland types through activities that can range from

strict protection all the way to active intervention,

including restoration.

Wise use activities therefore can be varied in nature,

ranging from very little or no resource exploitation, to

active resource exploitation as long as it is sustainable.

It must be recognized, however, that there are very few

wetlands not currently being utilized by local popula-

tions in some way.

Wetland management should be adapted to specific

local circumstances, sensitive to local cultures and

respectful of traditional uses. Management therefore is

not a universal concept that can be broadly applied;

rather, it needs to be adapted to suit lo cal conditions.

III.3 Integrated management planning

Wetland management may be implemented by the

d eve l o p m e nt of management plans or strategies for a

s pecific area or re g i o n . Wo rkshop C of the Ku s h i ro

Co n fe re n ce rev i ewed dra ft Guidelines on management

planning for Ramsar sites and other we t l a n d s, l ater adopt-

ed in plenary session (see An n ex to Resolution 5.7).

These guidelines emphasize that management plan-

ning applies not just to wetland reserves but to all wet-

lands, and that it is a process subject to constant

review and revision. Management plans should there-

fore be regarded as flexible, dynamic documents.

1) In general, a management plan is organized as a

four-part unit:

S Description (this provides the factual basis on

which management decisions can be taken,

and may be revised in the light of improved

knowledge of a site);

S Recognition of the past modifications of the

sites and of the possible threats;

S Eva l u ation and object i ves (from the

description, the goals of management can be

defined, in terms of both long-term objectives

and of immediate operational objectives for

the short term);

S Action plan (definition of work to be done in

order to achieve the objectives;activities to be

co n s i d e red include: h a b i t at management ;

species management;usage;access;education,

i nte rp re t ation and co m m u n i cat i o n ; a n d

research).

Mo n i to ring is an inte g ral part of the planning

process. Annual and longer term reviews of the plan

need to be undert a ke n , and may lead to

a m e n d m e nt of the descri p t i o n , o b j e ct i ves and

action plan.

2) A management authority charged with the imple-

mentation of the management process should be

appointed; this may be particularly relevant in

large wetlands where planning must take account

of all interests, uses and pressures. Strong coopera-

tion and participation from governmental and non-

governmental agencies, as well as from local peo-

ple, needs to be achieved.

3) When appro p ri ate, m a n a g e m e nt plans should

incorporate both traditional and modern technolo-

g i e s. The plan must re f l e ct the ove rall ca rry i n g

ca p a c i ty of the sys te m . I m p l e m e nt ation should

optimize the sustainable use of existing resources.

Wetland management needs to be incorporated

into overall national policies, as already indicated in

the Mo nt reux guidelines. These policies should

re f l e ct the best te c h n i cal info rm ation ava i l a b l e.



Developing management plans for Ramsar sites and other

wetlands

Describing and maintaining the ecological charac ter of

Ramsar sites

Establishing a monitoring programme for your wetland

Operation of the Convention’s Montreux Record

Applying a wetland risk assessment framework

Specific te c h n i cal info rm ation can be obtained

t h rough the Ramsar Bu reau and its part n e r

organizations.

III.4 Technical issues

For many regions of the world, wise use is not a new

co n ce p t. Humans have been building civilizat i o n s

around wetlands for thousands of years, and have

developed technologies of utilization.

Ma ny of these te c h n o l ogies are sustainable, and should

t h e re fo re be ident i f i e d,studied and pro m o ted as a mat-

ter of urg e n cy. In the cases where these te c h n o l og i e s

a re not sustainable, t h ey should be refined and adapt-

ed to optimize their sustainability. r

For more detailed guidance on managing wetland sites, consult:


Whether or not national wetland policies are being prepared, several actions should receive immediate attention atnational level in order to facilitate the preparation of national wetland policies, and to avoid delay in practical imple-mentation of wetland conservation and wise use.

Contracting Parties will naturally select actions, according to their own national priorities and requirements, from thoselisted above under ‘Establishment of national wetland policies'. They may wish to carry on institutional, legislative oreducational measures (such as those listed under sections 1, 2, 3 above) and at the same time initiate inventories or sci-entific work (such as those listed under section 4); in this way the institutional, legislative and educational instrumentswill be available in time to deal with scientific results.

Equally, Contracting Parties wishing to promote wise use of wetlands without waiting until national wetland policieshave been developed, may, based on their situation and needs, wish to:

(i) identify the issues which require the most urgent attention;

(ii) take action on one or more of these issues;

(iii) identify the wetland sites which require the most urgent action; and

(iv) take action at one or more of these wetlands, along the lines set out under ‘Priority actions at particularwetland sites’ below.

As at national level, immediate action may be required in order to avoid destruction or degradation of important wet-land values at particular wetland sites. These actions will undoubtedly include some elements listed in section 5 above,and Contracting Parties will select those appropriate to their own national priorities and requirements.

Whenever planning is initiated for projects which might affect important wetlands, the following actions should betaken in order to promote wise use of the wetland:

(i) integration from the outset of environmental considerations in planning of projects which might affectwetlands (including full assessment of their environmental impact before approval);

(ii) continuing evaluation during their execution; and

(iii) full implementation of necessary environmental measures.

The planning, assessment and evaluation should cover projects upstream of the wetland, those in the wetland itself, andother projects which may affect the wetland, and should pay particular attention to maintaining the benefits and valueslisted, in 3b above.


ß(adopted by the 4 th Conference of the Contracting Parties, Montreux, Switzerland, 1990)

Guidelines for the implementation of the wise use concept

RECALLING that the Third Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties approved Recommendation 3.1 which

called for the establishment of a Working Group “to examine the ways in which the criteria and guidelines for identifying wet-

lands of international importance might be elaborated, and the wise use provisions of the Convention applied, in order to

improve the worldwide application of the Convention”;

NOTING that a “Working Group on Criteria and Wise Use” was established by the Standing Committee at its Third Meeting

on 5 June 1987,with the participation of seven Contracting Parties (Australia, Chile, Iran, Mauritania, Norway, Poland and USA

- one from each of the Standing Committee’s regions);

AWARE that the Working Group met on the occasion of the Fourth Meeting of the Standing Committee in Costa Rica in

January 1988 and elected Norway as Chairman of the Working Group, and that observers from many other Contracting Parties

took part in this meeting of the Working Group, as well as in subsequent deliber ations;

TAKING NOTE of the Report of the Working Group, circulated to all Contracting Parties with Bureau Notification 1989/3.(31

March 1989),and revised according to comments received from Contracting Parties;

EXPRESSING ITS APPRECIATION to the Working Group and its Chairman for their work in clarifying the criteria and devel-

oping the guidelines on wise use;

RECONFIRMING that the concept of wise use extends to all phases of wetland conservation including policy development,

planning, legal and educational activities, and site specific actions;

NOTING with pleasure the support being provided to the Convention Bureau by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs

for promoting application of the wise use concept in de veloping countries;

ACKNOWLEDGING the need for a Convention Working Group to pr ovide guidance to the Bureau in promoting the wise

use concept;

The Conference of the Contracting Parties

RECOMMENDS that the “Guidelines for implementation of the wise use concept of the Convention”, contained in Annex III

of the Working Group’s report, discussed at the present Conference and appended as an Annex to the present document, be

adopted and applied by Contracting Parties;

FURTHER RECOMMENDS that a Working Group on Wise Use be reconstituted under the supervision of the Standing

Committee, with sufficient representation from each of the Convention’s regions and assisted by invited experts from con-

cerned organizations, to continue the wise use work of the Convention by:

(a) overseeing the work of the Bureau in implementing the Netherlands Wise Use Project;

(b) fostering further development and refinement of the “Guidelines for implementation of the wise use concept” con-

tained in the Annex, to apply to a diversity of wetland types , regions, resources and uses, concerning such areas as:

Appendix I



1. organizational and institutional processes;

2. inventory and classification;

3. development of management plans, policies, and alternative conservation strategies;

4. environmental education and outreach programmes;

5. effective training programmes;

6. ongoing monitoring and research programmes;and

7. available partnerships for further assistance;

(c) disseminating examples of site-specific wise use from regions throughout the world;

(d) disseminating practical examples of the interrelation between human activities and wetlands;and

(e) providing information about the process of developing national wetland inventories and policies;and

FINALLY RECOMMENDS that the Working Group report back to the next ordinary meeting of the Conference of the

Contracting Parties.


ß(adopted by the 5 th Conference of the Contracting Parties, Kushiro, Japan, 1993)

The wise use of wetlands

RECALLING Article 3.1 of the Convention which stipulates that “the Contracting Parties shall formulate and implement their

planning so as to promote . . . as far as possible the wise use of wetlands in their territory”;

REFERRING to Recommendation 4.10,adopted by the Fourth Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties, which

calls on Contracting Parties to:

S adopt and apply the “Guidelines for the implementation of the wise use concept”;

S reconstitute the Wise Use Working Group established by the Third Meeting of the Conference;and

S receive the report of the Working Group at the Fifth Meeting of the Conference;

THANKING the Government of the Netherlands for its generous initiative in providing the Convention Bureau with finance

for the coordination of a three-year project on the wise use of wetlands, which has been carried out since the Fourth Meeting

of the Conference of the Contracting Parties;

TAKING NOTE of the report of the Wise Use Working Group and the conclusions of the Wise Use project;

The Conference of the Contracting Parties

CALLS ON the Contracting Parties to implement in a more systematic and effective manner, and at international,national

and local levels, the guidelines on wise use adopted by the Fourth Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties;

NOTES the “Additional guidance for the implementation of the wise use concept” contained in the Annex to the present res-

olution and urges Contracting Parties to implement its applicable provisions;

INVITES the Contracting Parties to strengthen international cooperation between developed countries and developing

countries, or those whose economy is in transition, for the implementation of the wise use guidelines and additional guidance,

and of appropriate project activities;and

DECIDES that the follow-up to the work of the Wise Use Working Group, and in particular evaluation of the application of

the guidelines and additional guidance on wise use, be carried out by the Scientific and Technical Review Panel established at

the present meeting.

Appendix II


The Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran,1971) is an intergovernmental

treaty whose mission is “the conservation and wise use of wetlands by

national action and international cooperation as a means to achieving

sustainable development throughout the world”. Presently 116 nations

have joined the Convention as Contracting Parties, and more than 1000

wetlands around the world have been designated for inclusion in the

Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.

What are wetlands?As defined by the Convention, wetlands include a wide variety of habitats

such as marshes, peatlands, floodplains, rivers and lakes, and coastal areas

such as saltmarshes, mangroves, and seagrass beds, but also coral reefs and

other marine areas no deeper than six metres at low tide, as well as human-

made wetlands such as waste-water treatment ponds and reservoirs.

About this series of handbooks This series has been pre p a red by the secre t a ri at of the Co nve nt i o n

(the Ramsar Bureau) following the 7th Meeting of the Conference of the

Contracting Parties (COP7) held in San José, Costa Rica,in May 1999. The

San José conference was notable for adopting guidelines under each of the

three main obligations under the Convention – Wise Use, Wetlands of

International Importance and International Cooperation – to add to guid-

ance adopted by previous COPs. These guidelines have been prepared as a

series of handbooks to assist those with an interest in,or directly involved

w i t h , i m p l e m e nt ation of the Co nve ntion at either the inte rn at i o n a l ,

regional,national,subnational or local levels.

The handbooks have been prepared in the three working lan-

guages of the Convention (English, French and Spanish) and incorporate,

where appropriate, material from case studies designed to illustrate key

aspects of the guidelines. The full text of most case studies can be found on

the World Wide Web site of the Convention at http://ramsar.org/.

The table on the inside back cover illustrates the full scope of the

subjects covered by this handbook series at present, though other hand-

books may be added at a later date. For simplicity of presentation, the

series are listed under the three main obligations under the Convention,

but it is important to note that the Ramsar Convention promotes an

integrated package of actions to ensure the conservation and wise use of

wetlands. In recognition of these integrated approaches, the reader will

find that within each handbook there are numerous signposts or cross-ref-

erences to others in the series.

Copyright © 2000, Ramsar Convention

Bureau

Citation: Ramsar Convention Bureau,

2000. Ramsar handbooks for the wise use

of wetlands. Ramsar Convention Bureau,

Gland, Switzerland.

Reproduction of material from the

publication for educational and other

non-commercial purposes is authorized

without prior permission from the

Ramsar Bureau, providing full

acknowledgement is given.

ISBN: 2-940073-26-0

Design and layout: L’IV Communications, Morges, SwitzerlandSeries Editor: A.J. HailsPrinted by: Industrias Gozaka S.A., San José, Costa Rica

Wise use of wetlands

Developing and implementing

National Wetland Policies

Reviewing laws and institutions

to promote the conservation and


Integrating wetland

conservation and wise use into

river basin management

Establishing and strengthening

local communities’ and

indigenous people’s participation

in the management of wetlands

Promoting the conservation and

wise use of wetlands through

communication,education and

public awareness - The Outreach

Programme of the Convention

on Wetlands

Strategic Framework and

guidelines for the future

development of the List of


Importance

Frameworks for managing


Importance and other wetlands –

including:

Guidelines on management

planning for Ramsar sites and

other wetlands

Guidelines for describing and

maintaining the ecological

character of Listed sites

Framework for designing a

wetland monitoring

programme

Guidelines for operation of

the Montreux Record (of sites

where changes in ecological

character have occurred, are

occurring, or likely to occur)

Wetland Risk Assessment

Framework

Guidelines for international

cooperation under the Ramsar

Convention on Wetlands – which

covers:


wetlands and river basins


wetland-dependent species

Partnerships between

Conventions and agencies

Sharing knowledge and

expertise

Development assistance

Foreign investment and

business sector codes of

conduct

(including guidelines adopted by the 7th Conference of the Contracting Parties, San José, Costa Rica, 1999)


Published:

January2000

CONVENTION ON WETLANDS

(Ramsar, Iran 1971)

Guidelines for implementation of the wise use concept

Additional guidance on implementation of the wise use concept

Developing and implementing National Wetland PoliciesReviewing laws and institutions to promote the conser vation and wiseuse of wetlands

Integrating wetland conservation and wise use into river basinmanagement

Establishing and strengthening local communities’ and indigenouspeople’s participation in the management of wetlands

Promoting the conservation and wise use of wetlands throughcommunication,education and public awareness – The OutreachProgramme of the Convention on Wetlands

Strategic Framework and guidelines for the future development of theList of Wetlands of International Importance

Frameworks for managing Wetlands of International Importance andother wetlands

Guidelines for international cooperation under the Ramsar Conventionon Wetlands

All handbooks are available in English, French and Spanish. The Ramsar Bureau wouldwelcome any offers to translate and print these handbooks, in consultation with theBureau, in other languages.

Handbooks can be obtained upon request from:

The Ramsar Convention BureauRue Mauverney 28CH-1196 GlandSwitzerlandTel.:+41 22 999 0170Fax.:+41 22 999 0169e-mail: [email protected] site: http://ramsar.org


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