The Ramsar Bulletin Board, 2 March 2001

Headline story. IUCN names its new Director General. IUCN-The World Conservation Union "brings together 79 states, 112 government agencies, 735 NGOs, 35 affiliates, and some 10,000 scientists and experts from 181 countries in a unique world-wide partnership" and, in addition, lets Ramsar Bureau staff eat in the headquarters cafeteria - and we get the free coffee from 10:00 to 10:30 on Wednesday mornings along with IUCN HQ personnel. So it's an important event for Ramsar when IUCN chooses a new DG. On 1 March, IUCN announced the appointment of its new Director General, Mr Achim Steiner, well known for his recent outstanding performance as Secretary General of the World Commission on Dams (WCD). "At 39, Mr Steiner is one of the youngest ever Directors General of the organization. Brazilian born, German by nationality, and educated at Oxford University, he has spent much of his career in Latin America, Africa ,and Asia, gaining a strong understanding of the realities and challenges facing the Southern Hemisphere. He joins IUCN having led a three-year consultation process which resulted in the global launch last November of Dams and Development: the Report of the World Commission on Dams to widespread media attention and political acclaim." Here's the rest of IUCN's press release. [02/03/01]

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Headline story. Recent progress with the River Basin Initiative. The River Basin Initiative on integrating biological diversity, wetland and river basin management (RBI) is a joint initiative by the Ramsar Bureau and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) under the framework of the 2nd CBD/Ramsar Joint Work Plan. It aims to help Parties to the Conventions implement both the Ramsar Guidelines on integrating wetland conservation and wise use into river basin management (Resolution VII.18, Wise Use Handbook 4) and the CBD programme of work on inland waters biodiversity. Having recently been awarded a UNDP project development fund grant, the RBI secretariat is preparing a "country needs assessment" and will seek input at a side event during the CBD's SBSTTA-6 in mid-March. Here are the details, so far as presently known. [28/02/01]

Headline story. Secretary General's World Wetlands Day sojourn to Uganda. Mr Delmar Blasco, Secretary General, traveled to Kampala and Lutembe Bay on Lake Victoria, 1 and 2 February 2001, to help to launch Uganda's new wetlands strategic plan, deliver weighty speeches, cut enormous Ramsar 30th anniversary pastries (left), bestow awards upon canoe race winners, view school pageants, try on goofy hats and plant flower things. View here the parts that can be told. [1/3/01]

Children's book on the Colombian Amazon. El Instituto Amazónico de Investigaciones Científicas (SINCHI), en Bogotá, Colombia, ha completado una investigación sobre ecosistemas acuáticos de la Amazonía y ha publicado una cartilla dirigida especialmente a los niños, "Humedales de la Amazonia Colombiana. La cartilla contiene 32 paginas, excelentemente ilustradas, con valiosa información sobre la clasificación, fauna, flora, servicios e importancia de la conservación de los humedales Amazónicos de Colombia. Para mas información acerca de esta publicación favor de comunicarse a americas@ramsar.org . Esta publicación ha sido posible gracias a una aportación del US Department of State y el US Fish and Wildlife Service a través del Fondo Humedales para el Futuro de Ramsar. [28/02/01] [English version]

New book on integrated management of the river Cetina watershed. "The Priority Actions Programme, a regional activity centre of the Mediterranean Action Plan (the UNEP implementing structure of the Barcelona Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean), has recently published the results of an environmental and socio-economic study covering the river Cetina catchment in Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina. This study is remarkable for several reasons that are close to some of the Convention on Wetland's main concerns." Dr Tobias Salathé reviews River Cetina Watershed and the Adjacent Coastal Area: environmental and socio-economic profile. [23/02/01]

Ramsar responds to article on the Wise Use principle. A recent article entitled "Wise use of wetlands under the Ramsar Convention: A challenge for meaningful implementation of international law", by David Farrier and Linda Tucker, in the Journal of Environmental Law, Vol 12, No. 1 (2000), examined the evolution and various aspects of the Wise Use principle under the Ramsar Convention and used Australia as a case study to draw the conclusion "that in an Australian domestic context ratification of the Biodiversity Convention has rendered the Ramsar Convention largely redundant." This provocative statement was drawn from the authors' argument that the Ramsar Convention is segmented in its approach and therefore "inherently limited", whereas, the authors state, the Convention on Biological Diversity is not. Lest this shaky conclusion go unchallenged, Dr Bill Phillips of Mainstream Environmental Consulting, former Deputy Secretary General of the Convention, has prepared a response which clarifies many of the article's misconceptions and supplies compensation for its unfamiliarity with significant Ramsar events over the past five or six years. Here is his review. [23/02/01]

Announcement. Ramsar/SPAW Caribbean Training Workshop proceedings now ready. The Ramsar/SPAW Caribbean Training Workshop unfolded 11-15 December 2000 in Port of Spain, Trinidad, with financial support from the United States State Department and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (through the Wetlands for the Future initiative), the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources of Trinidad, its Forestry Division, and the Ramsar Convention Bureau. The Proceedings, edited by Margarita Astrálaga and Marco A. Flores, are now ready and can be obtained by writing to Marco Flores at flores@ramsar.org. [23/02/01]

Announcement. Pathfinder Workshops to be discussed at SBSTTA6. Richard D Smith, PhD, Royal Holloway Institute for Environmental Research - RHIER, writes: "The Governments of Colombia, Malaysia and Zimbabwe, together with the UK Government and the European Community, warmly invite you to attend a side event to the CBD's SBSTTA6 (12 March 2001) in Montreal, to discuss the outcome of three regional pathfinder workshops on the Ecosystem Approach (Southern Africa (July 2000), South America (September 2000) and Southeast Asia (October 2000)). The workshops – "An Ecosystem Approach under the CBD, from concept to action" – were convened in cooperation with the Secretariat of the CBD by UNESCO, IUCN, WWF-International, and the Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971) and generously hosted by the Governments of Zimbabwe, Colombia and Malaysia. The Royal Holloway Institute for Environmental Research (RHIER) and UNESCO provided technical assistance and will jointly facilitate the discussion." Here's a bit more detail. [22/02/01]

Training course on survey techniques held in Fiji. A second training course in Fiji, sponsored by the Asia Pacific Wetland Managers Training Program, was completed between 29 January and 2 February 2001. This course, entitled "Inventory of freshwater and mangrove biota of Fiji: a field and lab-based course on systematic survey techniques and identification of fishes, invertebrates and aquatic plants", was hosted by University of South Pacific, Institute of Applied Sciences, and jointly managed by Wetlands International - Oceania, the Fiji Department of Environment and USP. Aaron Jenkins was the course coordinator and leader and he was assisted by specialists from USP. Read about it here. [20/02/01]

Ramsar signs MOC with Barcelona Convention. In ceremonies in Nairobi, Kenya, 11 February 2001, presided over by Mr Klaus Töpfer, Executive Director of UNEP, during the 21st Session of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Mr Delmar Blasco, Ramsar Secretary General, signed a memorandum of cooperation with M. Lucien Chabason, Coordinator of the Coordinating Unit of the Mediterranean Action Plan of the Secretariat of the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (also known as the Barcelona Convention). Among the objectives of the new agreement are to:

Announcement. Wetlands for the Future calls for applications. La Secretaría de la Convención de Ramsar invita a todos los países y organizaciones de la Región Neotropical de la Convención de Ramsar y México a presentar propuestas para el primer ciclo del año 2001 al Fondo de Humedales para el Futuro. La fecha límite para presentación de propuestas es el 30 de abril del 2001. La Oficina de Ramsar presta servicios de asesoría a quienes sometan sus propuestas de proyectos a más tardar el 30 de marzo. Para mas detalles favor ver las directrices operativas disponibles en http://ramsar.org/wff/key_wff_guide_s.htm . El FHF se hace posible gracias a una generosa donación del Departamento de Estado de los EE.UU. y el Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de los EE.UU.

Trip report. Anada Tiéga reports on Algeria. Anada Tiéga, the Bureau's Regional Coordinator for Africa, joined Denis Landenbergue of WWF's Living Waters Campaign in Algiers for the World Wetlands Day celebrations and designation of ten fine new Ramsar sites in that country. Here is his brief report. [16/02/01]

Announcement. Call for applications for the Ted Hollis Scholarship in London. Dr Julian Thompson wrote to the Ramsar Forum today to announce that "The Department of Geography, University College London seeks applicants for the Ted Hollis Scholarship in Wetland Hydrology & Conservation. It is intended that the successful candidate will join the Department from the beginning of the 2001/2 session (September 2001). The Scholarship is targeted at overseas students, preferably from less developed countries, who are academically exceptional and would otherwise be unable to study at one of Britain's leading universities. The Scholarship will support a post-graduate student undertaking research leading to a PhD. The duration of the Scholarship will be three years subject to an annual review of progress. The Scholarship will provide tuition fees and an annual maintenance grant equivalent to those provided by the UK Research Councils (currently £8,265)." View more details here. [16/02/01]

Kamiali Wildlife Management Area (KWMA). Miriam Philip reports on her mission in a Ramsar Small Grants Fund-financed project in Papua New Guinea. "The objectives of the Kamiali trip were to create awareness on priority target groups particularly land owners, local communities including women, youth groups and children on the importance of conservation and wise use of wetlands, increase the knowledge and to gain support in getting Kamiali WMA nominated as a Ramsar Site, revise the draft of Kamiali Ramsar Information Sheet, and participate in the ongoing leatherback turtle (a noteworthy fauna of the Kamiali wetlands) monitoring program. " Here are the details. [16/02/01]

News note. Interministerial mission for Marais de Poitevin Ramsar site. Yves Le Quellec, Président of Coordination pour la Defense du Marais Poitevin (coordl@marais-poitevin.org , http://marais-poitevin.org) reports "Le 15 Janvier 2001, Monsieur Pierre Balland a pris ses fonctions de coordinateur interministériel pour le Marais Poitevin. La Coordination pour la défense du Marais Poitevin salue l’arrivée d’un homme d’expérience". More details here (en français). [16/02/01]

Announcement. Workshop/atelier planned for Niger next week. Katia Boudjemadi (katia@ompo.org), Coordinatrice Adjointe for OMPO in France, sends news of a Ramsar SGF-supported training workshop scheduled for Niamey, 22-24 February, on the use of the MedWet Inventory Database as adapted to Africa: "Dans le cadre du projet Ramsar/ Direction de la Faune de la Pêche et de la Pisciculture, Niger/ Direction de la Faune et de la Chasse, Togo/OMPO intitulé «Soutien à la formation des cadres pour la gestion des zones humides et des oiseaux migrateurs au Niger et au Togo», se tiendra à Niamey du 22 au 24 février 2001 un atelier sur le thème de la «Gestion des bases de données sur les zones humides». Cette rencontre, financée par le Fond de Petites Subventions de la convention de Ramsar sera animée par OMPO et regroupera une douzaine de participants issus des pays organisateurs, le Niger et le Togo, mais aussi du Bénin, du Burkina-Faso, ainsi que des enseignants de l'Ecole de Faune de Garoua (Cameroun). Cet atelier a pour objectif de familiariser les participants avec la base de données «MedWet» et d'appréhender les possibilités d'adaptation à l'Afrique de l'Ouest de cette base conçue pour les pays méditerranéens." [15/02/01]

Announcement. Asian Wetland Symposium 2001 set for August in Penang. Dr Taej Mundkur, Interim Executive Director of Wetlands International – Asia Pacific, has notified the Ramsar Forum of this upcoming event: "Kindly find attached an announcement for the Asian Wetland Symposium 2001, an international meeting on wetlands planned for August 2001 in Penang, Malaysia. The symposium will cover a wide range of issues and is of relevance to government officials, planners, conservation groups, university staff/technical specialists and the general public. The symposium is jointly organised by Ministry of Science Technology and Environment, Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Ramsar Centre Japan, and Wetlands International. We welcome your active participation in this important event." Ahyaudin B. Ali (ahyaudin@usm.my) of the Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, adds: "The final announcement for Asian Wetland Symposium 2001 can be accessed at http://aws2001.domainvalet.com. Please visit the Web site for information concerning the Symposium. Interested participants can register as well as submit their abstracts electronically as explained in the Web site." [15/02/01]

Algeria's ten new Ramsar sites. In ceremonies in Algiers on World Wetlands Day, 2 February 2001, the Government of Algeria announced the designation of ten new Wetlands of International Importance. These new sites are extremely important additions to the Ramsar List, because they include an impressive array of under-represented wetland types typical of arid lands, including salt-bed chotts, oases, and "gueltas", totalling more than 1.8 million hectares. In addition to their key geographical position for migratory birds seeking support for their daunting journeys across the Sahara, these sites include guelta wetlands not so far to be found in the Ramsar classification system, human-made below-ground hydrological systems in the ancient "fouggara" irrigation system, rich evolutionary adaptations to the harsh arid conditions in isolated circumstances, and unique cultural significance in the ancestral fouggara water distribution social organization, frequently in the shadow of remains of 14th century Ksar oasis fortresses. Ramsar's Anada Tiéga and Denis Landenbergue of WWF's Living Waters Campaign participated in the ceremonies in Algiers and both commended the Government of Algeria for these impressive designations, and the Living Waters Campaign is also to be thanked for its support to Algeria throughout the process of preparing these new sites for designation. See brief site descriptions here, and a photo essay here. [13/02/01]

New book available. Living Lakes: a survey of the Living Lakes of the world. In this lavish folio-size new book, with all texts in German, English, and Spanish, some sixty pages are devoted to describing the nature of lakes, the problems facing them, and the potential solutions, including a description of the Global Nature Fund and its Living Lakes Network. This is followed by 130 pages of text and superb photographs on 13 exceptional lake systems around the world, discussed not only in terms of their importance but for their exemplary nature in illustrating problems and solutions. Among these 13 lakes of the Living Lakes Network are such well-known Ramsar sites as Lake Constance (the Bodensee) between Austriia, Germany and Switzerland, now a model for cross-sectoral cooperation; Lake Biwa in Japan; South Africa's Lake St. Lucia, with photographs of the effects that heavy-metal mining (the subject of a Ramsar Advisory Mission in 1992) in the exquisite dune systems would have had, had it been allowed to go forward; Nestos in Greece; and others. More details and ordering information are available here. [12/2/01]

Greater coordination of environmental treaties urged. Speaking at the 21st Session of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Global Ministerial Environment Forum, on 7 February, the Secretary General of the Convention on Wetlands, Mr Delmar Blasco, called for much greater coordination and harmonization amongst all of the environment-related conventions, both the three UNCED treaties and the 200+ other international agreements, all of which "at the end of the day converge in the quest of a sustainable planet for human survival with decent conditions for all". Mr Blasco urged that UNEP be mandated "to prepare a medium- and long-term action plan for achieving real synergies among conventions" in order to harness their collective efforts and help to alleviate the burdens of government agencies in fulfilling their commitments under so many treaties. "We have welcomed all attempts to bring the conventions to work together, in particular UNEP’s attempts," he said, "but we consider that those efforts have been, so far, too timid. Possibly because, as is no secret, and in spite of the UN General Assembly resolution that emphasized the importance of UNEP’s role in this area, for a number of reasons UNEP has found resistance in pursuing this role, and as a consequence, to a large extent, the conventions are still operating in a dispersed manner." Here is the text of his address. [09/02/01] [français et/y español]

Announcement. BirdLife International seeks Project Manager for Corporate Responsibility. BirdLife is seeking a project manager "to lead a strategic global relationship between BirdLife and Rio Tinto plc. BirdLife International is a global partnership of conservation NGOs working to conserve birds and their environment. Rio Tinto plc is one of the world’s leading mining companies. These 2 organizations are developing a long-term relationship to initiate a global programme of activities to enhance bird and habitat conservation, in the context of sustainable development. The Project Manager, based in Cambridge, UK, will work with Rio Tinto and BirdLife staff to build local collaboration, foster Rio Tinto staff interest in birds (through an annual birdwatching event) and develop practical conservation projects at mine sites or nearby Important Bird Areas throughout the world. He/she will assist Rio Tinto with strategic biodiversity work and will be involved with discussions within the mining industry and other global corporate industries relating to social, environmental and economic sustainability." Click here for the full announcement. [link later removed] [09/02/01]

New Zealand Wetlands Awards announced on World Wetlands Day. Hon. Marian Hobbs, Minister for the Environment, and Hon. Sandra Lee, Minister of Conservation, have announced the three winners of the New Zealand Wetlands Awards honored on 2 February 2001. The ministers' press release provides further details on the Whakaki Lake Trustees, the Pauatahanui Reserve Management Committee of the Forest and Bird Protection Society, and Norske-Skog Tasman and their contributions to the wise use of wetlands in New Zealand. [08/02/01]

Prespa Park Coordination Committee meets in Skopje. The transboundary Prespa Park was created a year ago, on World Wetlands Day 2000 (background here). Now, a year later, at the invitation of the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning of the FYR of Macedonia, the Coordination Committee of the Prespa Park, composed of representatives of Albania, Greece and the FYR of Macedonia, as well as observers from the Ramsar Convention, donor organizations, and NGOs, held its first meeting in Skopje on 30-31 January 2001. Here's a brief report from Ramsar's Tobias Salathé. [06/02/01]

News from the SGF. Bulgaria completes SGF project at Srebarna. The 1997 Small Grants Fund project "Development and Implementation of a Management Plan for Lake Srebarna Ramsar Site" has been successfully accomplished. The project resulted in a management plan (in both Bulgarian and English) for one of the five Bulgarian Ramsar sites, elaborated by the best Bulgarian experts and based on a comprehensive monitoring program of physical, chemical and biological features. Most significant parts of Plan were discussed with the main stakeholders and their recommendations incorporated in the final version of the plan. The project was carried out by the Central Laboratory of General Ecology. The management plan includes 22 working programs and 77 projects (17 of them of high priority) to achieve the main objectives presented in the plan. There was also database, including maps, data on the quality of the agricultural lands and land use within the site, as well as GIS maps (showing topography, vegetation, soil and land ownership categories) created during the project. More information about the Lake Srebarna and SGF project can be found on http://www.ecolab.bas.bg/srebarna/ . -- reported by Inga Racinska. (Some photos here.) [07/02/01]

News from the Caribbean. Dominican Republic states Ramsar intentions. The Bureau has received from the Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations in Geneva a copy of a World Wetlands Day press release from the office of the President of the Dominican Republic, providing general information about Ramsar and the obligations the country will acquire when acceding, explaining the present threats to the country's wetlands, and stating that the Environment Secretariat (Semarena) is in the process of preparing the accession papers to be submitted to Congress for its approval. [06/02/01]

New face in the Bureau. Simon Rafanomezantsoa of Madagascar has arrived in the Ramsar Bureau to take up his post as Ramsar Intern/Assistant to the Regional Coordinator for Africa, replacing Mr Evans Okong'o of Kenya, with whom he will overlap for a week or so to help get settled in. [06/02/01]

Ramsar / Man and the Biosphere joint Web site unveiled. In a press release issued for World Wetlands Day, the Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Mats ramsar3.jpg (5075 bytes)

uura, announced the launch of a new joint Web site dedicated to providing accurate information on the world’s wetland sites that are both Biosphere Reserves under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) and Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. The new Web site, hosted by MAB and developed by Katarina Vestin and Ivette Fabbri, has brief texts and links to longer texts on each of the 59 sites that are inscribed in both Lists (soon to be joined by the new Ramsar site, Domica, in Slovakia), and it's all been very tastefully designed and clearly set up. This new initiative is part of the rapidly increasing and very fruitful cooperation between Ramsar and MAB, in which a joint work plan is presently under development. UNESCO press release: http://www.unesco.org/opi/eng/unescopress/2001/01-15e.shtml . Joint Ramsar-MAB Web site: http://www.unesco.org/mab/ramsarmab.htm . [03/02/01]

Uganda launches Strategic Plan on WWD. The National Wetlands Programme and high-level members of the Government of Uganda have taken the occasion of their "World Wetlands Week", 29 January to 4 February, to host activities in Kampala, Entebbe, and Lutembe Bay Wetlands including a canoe regatta, fireworks, and craft exhibitions, but most importantly the launching of the Wetlands Sector Strategic Plan 2001-2010 on 1 February. The Convention's Secretary General, Mr Delmar Blasco, addressed the gathering in Kampala, which was presided over by the Minister of Information the Hon. Basoga Nsadhu, and congratulated Uganda for its foresight and world leadership in wetland policy planning and financing methods, and paid tribute to the Government of the Netherlands and IUCN-The World Conservation Union for their support of Uganda's pioneering efforts. The text of Mr Blasco's address is available here, as is his World Wetlands Day address at Lutembe Bay Wetlands. [02/02/01]

New Ramsar policy to be announced for Wales. Jon Young (jon.young@wales.gsi.gov.uk), Countryside Division, Nature Conservation Branch, National Assembly for Wales, has forwarded very welcome news about a new Ramsar policy for Wales modelled upon the UK's recent Ramsar policy for England. "The National Assembly for Wales will be issuing its Ramsar Policy Statement tomorrow, to coincide with World Wetlands Day. The Policy follows the lines issued by DETR. You may wish to include this in the World Wetlands Day events page on your website. Our Environment Minister will be writing to the Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention enclosing a copy of the statement in due course." [02/02/01]

Switzerland extends Geneva site for World Wetlands Day. Meinrad Küttel, Ramsar's focal point in the Swiss Government, has notified the Bureau that the Government is extending the Ramsar site formerly known as Rade de Genève to almost double its size and has renamed it "Le Rhône genevois - Vallons de l'Allondon et de La Laire". Here's an announcement prepared by Denis Landenbergue, WWF's Living Waters Campaign: "As a contribution to the 2001 World Wetlands Day and the 30th anniversary of the Ramsar Convention, Switzerland, the host country of the Ramsar Bureau, is happy to announce the extension of the Ramsar Site that was designated in 1990 near Geneva. The newly extended site encompasses the port of Geneva, the Rhône from Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) southwestward all the way to the French frontier, as well as the adjacent Allondon and Laire river valleys. This is a step towards a hoped-for transboundary wetland of international importance that could include the Etournel marshes in France." Here is the brief site description in the Annotated Ramsar List. [01/02/01] [français et/y español]

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Joint press release: Wetlands events send another wake-up call for world’s fresh water. Gland, Switzerland - "As celebrations surrounding World Wetlands Day commence around the world, WWF, the conservation organization, and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands have warned that unless more is done to protect vital wetlands, water shortages will be more severe in at least 60 countries by 2050, and flooding-related disasters could increase substantially." View the rest of it right here (English, français, español). [30/01/01]

Australia names three new sites for World Wetlands Day. On 2 February, the Hon Dr Sharman Stone MP, Federal Member for Murray and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Environment and Heritage, will attend World Wetlands Day ceremonies at The Wetland Centre, Newcastle, and announce the designation of three new Wetlands of International Importance, as well as extensions of four existing Ramsar sites, in Western Australia. The new sites, effective as of 5 January 2001, are Becher Point Wetlands (677 hectares), Lake Gore (4,017 ha), and Muir-Byenup System (10,631 ha) – the newly extended sites are Ord River floodplain (now 141,453 ha), Peel-Yalgorup system (now 26,530 ha), Toolibin Lake (now 493 ha), and Vasse-Wonnerup system (now 1,115 ha). Here are brief descriptions of all of these welcome new Ramsar sites. And don't miss this great WWD postcard. [24/01/01]

Ramsar seeks applications for MedWet Coordinator. The Ramsar Bureau (secretariat) of the Convention on Wetlands invites applications for the position of Coordinator of the Mediterranean Wetlands Initiative (MedWet), a position outposted in Athens, Greece, and funded through a contribution from the Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works of the Republic of Greece. The position would begin in April 2001 if at all possible, and a full description of duties, requirements, and benefits, with an application form, can be found right here. [link later removed] [31/01/01]

Announcement. Wetland training courses at the Tour du Valat Biological Station. This well-known research station in the Camargue Ramsar site in southern France, which serves as one of the three technical units for Ramsar's MedWet Initiative (along with the Greek Wetlands/Biotope Centre in Thessaloniki and SEHUMED in Valencia, Spain), also offers an impressive array of wetland training opportunities, mostly aimed at professionals from Mediterranean countries. Here's a basic description of the programme, and Dr Christian Perennou's the man to ask for the really fine structured details, perennou@tour-du-valat.com, Web site http://www.tour-du-valat.com . [01/02/01]

More to follow. Watch this space. Feedback and suggestions are welcome to: the Ramsar Convention Bureau, Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland (tel +41 22 999 0170, fax +41 22 999 0169, e-mail

). Updated regularly by Dwight Peck, Ramsar Bureau.

Back Issues of the Bulletin Board. Early in every month, the current edition of the Bulletin Board is copied to the Ramsar Archives page, and you can dig through the back issues there -- their contents are still indexed on the Global Index page in perpetuity.

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