What's
New @ Ramsar What's
New @ Ramsar
1 November 2001
Headline
story. Uzbekistan joins the Ramsar Convention. The Bureau is delighted to announce that on 8 October
2001 the Director-General of UNESCO received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
Republic of Uzbekistan its instrument of accession to the Convention on Wetlands, as
amended by the Protocol of 1982 and the Amendments of 1987. Uzbekistan is welcomed as the
Convention’s 130th Contracting Party, and the Convention in accordance
with Article 10.2 will enter into force for Uzbekistan on 8 February 2002. The new Party
has named Lake Dengizkul as its first
Wetland of International Importance; more information about this new site will be
forthcoming in due course. [01/11/01]
Headline
story. Ramsar
addresses UNFCCC's SBSTA15.
On 30 October, at the 15th session of the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change's subsidiary scientific body, the Subsidiary Body for Scientific
and Technological Advice (SBSTA), in Marrakesh, Morocco, Mr
Spyros Kouvelis, Ramsar's MedWet Coordinator based in Athens,
Greece, addressed the meeting on recent progress in synergistic and parallel
work of the two conventions and pointed out possibilities for fruitful cooperation
in future. Here
is the text of his address. Earth Negotiations Bulletin indicates
that "in the ensuing discussion, Parties stressed enhancing cooperation
between conventions, strengthening such cooperation at the national level, and
furthering the international environmental governance process. Chair Dovland
indicated that an informal contact group would be convened to develop draft
conclusions." [01/11/01]
Headline
story. Tropical
peatlands in the news. The
importance of peatlands to national economies and the environment was highlighted
22-23 August 2001 at the International Symposium
on Tropical Peatlands, entitled "Peatlands
for People", which was attended by over 200 peatland scientists
and managers from Indonesia and 10 other nations. During the meetings, the participants
agreed the Jakarta
Statement on the Importance of Tropical Peatlands, which is reprinted
here. In another development, David Lee of the Global Environment Centre in
Selangor, Malaysia, reports on the creation of SEA-PEAT, the Southeast
Asia Peatland Action Plan and Management Initiative, which is being
developed as a regional contribution to the Global Action Plan for Peatlands,
which is presently working its way through the Ramsar STRP process towards COP8.
[31/10/01]
Who's where?
Margarita Astrálaga, Regional Coordinator for the Americas, is in Brazil for the UN Regional PrepCom meeting in Rio de Janeiro, 23-24 October, and will then lead a Ramsar Advisory Mission to the Llancalelo Ramsar site in Argentina, with participation by invited experts Terry Boyle and John Agard as well as relevant authorities of the Government of Argentina. [22/10/01]
Who was where? Cumulated record of travels throughout the year.
New
on the Site:
Ramsar address to UNFCCC's
SBSTA15, Marrakesh, 30 October; Report of the Ramsar
South American subregional meeting, Buenos Aires, 10-12 September
2001 (Spanish only); Report (versions in English
and Español) of the
Ramsar subregional meeting for Central America, the Caribbean, and North
America, 26-28 September, in San Pedro Sula, Honduras; Report
of the East Asian subregional meeting, Bangkok, 1-3 October. [31/10/01]
Ramsar
sub-regional meeting for South America - report available. Some
55 representatives of Ramsar Contracting Parties, intergovernmental institutions,
and non-governmental organizations gathered in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 10-12
September 2001, for a Ramsar subregional meeting in preparation for the 8th
meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties. The meeting was hosted
and financially supported by Argentina’s Secretariat for Sustainable Development
and Environmental Policy. One important decision of the meeting was to prepare
a South American Strategy for the Implementation of the Ramsar Convention, which
should be finalized for presentation by Argentina at the forthcoming meeting
of the Standing Committee in December 2001. The
conference report is available here (in Spanish only).
Unos 55 representantes de los países signatarios de la Convención Ramsar, organizaciones intergubernamentales y organizaciones no-gubernamentales se reunieron en Buenos Aires, Argentina, del 10 al 12 de septiembre, para discutir los asuntos de la sub-región en preparación para la Octava Conferencia de la Partes de Ramsar. La Secretaría de Desarrollo Sustentable y Política Ambiental de la República Argentina fue el anfitrión y patrocinador de la reunión. Una importante decisión del encuentro fue que se prepare una Estrategia Sudamericana para la Aplicación de la Convención de Ramsar, la que sería presentada por la Argentina al Comité Permanente de la Convención en su reunión del mes de diciembre de 2001. El informe final del evento esta disponible. [31/10/01]
Portugal names two
new Ramsar sites. The Ramsar Bureau
is very pleased to announce that Portugal has designated two new Wetlands of International
Importance, effective 24 October 2001. Paúl de Tornada
(Tornada Marsh) (50 hectares, 39°27’N 009°03’W) is a small
freshwater permanently flooded marsh in a small alluvial plain, with extensive reed beds
and numerous areas of open water, surrounded by agricultural and forest land. It fulfils
the representativeness Criterion 1 and also supports a considerable diversity of species,
particularly of migratory birds, as well as some threatened fish, mammal, reptile, and
amphibian species. The site is presently located on private property that is rented to the
environmental organizations GEOTA and PATO, with national and local government support,
and a visitors’ centre and observatory are in place. Paúl
do Taipal (Taipal Marsh) (233 ha, 40°11’N 008°41’W), an EU
Birds Directive Special Protection Area, is a freshwater permanently flooded marsh in a
small alluvial plain in the Mondego river valley, with extensive reed beds and some open
water. The wetland is surrounded by agricultural land, with rice fields downstream. It has
great bird diversity and habitats of major importance for migratory birds for wintering
(including more than 1% of the Mediterranean population of Anas clypeata) and
resting areas (for example, transaharan passerines and palearctic birds). It also supports
a significant portion of the indigenous fish species Rutilus macrolepidotus, Barbus
bacogei, and Cobitis maroccana in all life-cycle stages. The area is very
important for local regulation of the underground water table and may also act as a buffer
zone, contributing to increased protection of adjoining farmlands against erosion by
winter floods. The marsh is publicly owned and managed, with educational activities and
traditional fishing practiced within the site; conventional corn and rice cultivation
takes place on private lands roundabout.
Portugal now has 12 Ramsar sites, totaling 66,096 hectares, bringing the Convention’s global total to 1106 sites covering 87,231,079 hectares (872,311 square km). [30/10/01]
Preparations
for World Wetlands Day 2002 may now commence in earnest. The
Ramsar Bureau, in its beneficence, has mailed out to all 5000 subscribers to
the Ramsar Newsletter a sizable quantity of new World Wetlands Day materials
to assist the efforts of government authorities, NGOs, and concerned citizens
to raise the awareness of wetland values and the Ramsar Convention amongst their
compatriots. The suggested theme of this 2 February 2002 World Wetlands Day,
echoing the theme of the 8th meeting of the upcoming Conference of the Contracting
Parties to the Convention, Valencia, Spain, November 2002, is "Wetlands:
water, life, and culture", and the materials on offer to
embellish and enliven World Wetlands Day hover all over the topic of The
Cultural Heritage of Wetlands -- including an information pack, posters,
calendars, stickers, e-cards, screensavers -- and you can obtain this stuff
just by promising to promote the sustainable use of wetlands in all your goings
and comings wherever you may be. What a deal! View the Bureau's contributions
to your still-evolving plans for World Wetlands Day, write off to Valerie
Higgins for whatever you may require, and then get back to the earnest
and sometimes thankless business of informing your fellow citizens of the essential
values and functions of wetlands all over the world. Here
is the suite of materials on offer. [26/10/01]
Bosnia
and Herzegovina succeeds to the Ramsar Convention.
The Bureau is extremely pleased to announce that on 24 September 2001 the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina notified the Director-General of
UNESCO that that country "considers itself, as a legal successor State
of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, bound by the Convention
on Wetlands", with effect from 1 March 1992, the date upon which Bosnia
and Herzegovina assumed responsibility for its international relations. In accordance
with Article 2 of the Convention, the new Contracting Party named as its obligatory
first Wetland of International Importance a Nature Park and Birdlife Important
Bird Area called "Hutovo Blato"
(7,411 hectares, 43°03’N 017°37’E) near the estuary of the Neretva
river. The site, comprising swamps, lakes, wet meadows, and riverine forest,
provides favorable conditions for many wetland species, particularly of birds
and fish, several of which are described as endangered. Human activities in
the area include fishing and hunting; pressures from drainage, agricultural
intensification, urbanization, and growing tourism are seen to pose potential
threats. [25/10/01] [français
et/y español]
UK
names two Ramsar sites in Falkland Islands (Malvinas).
The United Kingdom has designated two new Wetlands of International Importance
as of 24 September 2001, both in the Falkland Islands (Malvinas), bringing that
Party's total number of Ramsar sites to 165. These two new sites, remarkable
for the wetland types and species of fauna and flora represented, are also the
second and third southernmost Ramsar sites, after Reserva Costa Atlantica de
Tierra del Fuego in Argentina. Bertha’s
Beach
(4,000 hectares, 51°55’S 058°25’W) is centered upon sandy beach on
the northern shore of Choiseul Sound, East Falkland, connecting former islands
to the mainland, and surrounding marine waters. The site is a good representative
example, in relatively natural state, of several different wetland habitat types
found along this coast, including shallow marine waters, kelp beds, rocky shores,
peatlands, and coastal freshwater lagoons, as well as tussac vegetation on two
islands. Sea
Lion Island
(1,000 ha, 52°25’S 059°05’W) is an isolated island 17km off the southern
tip of East Falkland, most notable as an important breeding site for Southern
Sea Lion (Otaria byronia) and Southern Elephant Seal (Mirounga leonina).
View some more detail on these
two sites right here. [24/10/01] [Note:
On 24 October 2001, the Argentine Republic made a diplomatic protest to these
two designations.] [français
et/y español]
An
update on the "Great Photo Chase".
Dr Bill Phillips, who is managing
the production of the Ramsar wetlands photo book (about which more
detail here), writes: "Wow – what a response!!! Thank
you to all the people who have responded so enthusiastically and positively
to the launch of the "Great Photo Chase" for the production of Ramsar’s
Wetlands book. Below I’ve listed the 40 countries from which I’ve
so far received some photos – this is not to say, however, that we are
not keen to see more from these same countries. And, of course, the priority
remains to get some spectacular photos from those countries which don’t
appear in the list below. For Ramsar Administrative Authorities, NGOs and photographic
enthusiasts in these countries, please help – we need your photos to make
this a truly global publication which can highlight the many types of wetlands
around the world, and most importantly the range of ways inwhich they are wisely
wisely. Remember please, send us jpegs (or similar small file size) to view
first and, then if your image is chosen, we will contact you to arrange for
sending the original.
Countries for which photos have so far been received – Armenia, Australia, Belize, Benin, Botswana, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, China (PR of), Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivore, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Ukraine, USA, Uruguay, Venezuela." [24/10/01]
Reminder.
Nominations for the Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award for 2002 are due by 31
December 2001. More detail
is available here.
Mangrove
Action Project has children's art calendar on offer.
As part of its fundraising efforts, the Mangrove Action Project have put together
an attractive calendar featuring children's art work from around the world.
Here is a description of the
project by MAP's executive director, Alfredo Quarto. [23/10/01]
'Declaration
of the Central American People and Wetlands', belatedly. At
Ramsar's 7th meeting of the Conference of the Parties in San José, Costa Rica,
in May 1999, representatives of Central American peoples met and created a Declaration
of recommendations to the COP concerning community participation in the sustainable
development of wetlands in the region. Now, however, as the Bureau prepares
to announce the imminent publication of our new information pack on the cultural
heritage of wetlands, which draws upon the aforesaid Declaration -- and as we
prepare to unveil JPG versions of the enormous painting that was created on-site
during the COP by artists from the Solentiname region of Nicaragua, and which
was presented to the COP concurrently with the Declaration, and which now hangs
in the Secretary General's office -- belated notice
has been taken that the Declaration itself was never published
with the COP proceedings . . . {a small oversight, perhaps, no names mentioned}
. . . so here it is, in English
and in Spanish,
reprinted from Humedales de Mesoamerica: Sitios
Ramsar de Centroamérica y México / Mesoamerican Wetlands: Ramsar Sites in Central
American and Mexico, published 1999 by the IUCN-Mesoamerica Wetlands
and Coastal Zones Program with financial support from the Norwegian Agency for
International Development (NORAD) and the IUCN Wetlands Programme, pages 36-37.
[22/10/01]
Panama
takes legal action to protect Ramsar Site.
The Government of Panama has informed the Ramsar Bureau that an environmental
impact assessment was completed for Ramsar Site San San Pond Sack in Golfo de
Montijo, Panama, to assess the impact of the construction of an elevated earth
path that interrupted the natural flow of water to the wetland. The study, which
included monitoring of chemical, physical and biological parameters, concluded
that the path was responsible for the deteriorating conditions of the wetland
and that it should be removed to reverse the negative impacts caused to the
ecosystem. The General Administrator of the Panama National Environmental Authority
(Autoridad Nacional del Ambiente - ANAM) through resolution No. AG 0334 and
based on Law No. 41 of July 1, 1998 (General Law of the Environment), ordered
the person responsible for the construction of the path to remove it immediately
and to take the necessary actions to remediate the damage done. [22/10/01] [version
en español]
Ramsar
subregional meeting for Central America, the Caribbean, and North America -
report available. Some
60 representatives of Ramsar Contracting Parties and observer states in the
subregion, intergovernmental institutions, and non-governmental organizations
gathered in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, 26-28 September 2001, for a Ramsar subregional
meeting in preparation for the 8th meeting of the Conference of the Contracting
Parties. The meeting was hosted by the Ministry of Environment of Honduras and
financially supported by the Ministry of Environment of Canada, Swedish Sida,
and the Department of State of the United States. The conference report is available
here in English
and Spanish.
[19/10/01]
Ramsar
East Asian meeting reported.
Regional Coordinator Najam Khurshid
reports that "the Government of Thailand hosted the East Asian Subregional
Meeting from 1-3 October 2001 in Bangkok, one of a series of regional and subregional
meetings around the world to assist in preparations for the next meeting of
the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP8). More than 70 people attended,
including representatives of 8 Contracting Parties, 2 observer states, environment-related
organizations of the United Nations, the Convention on Migratory Species, international,
regional and local non-governmental organizations, and development assistance
agencies. Each Contracting Party provided an update on the implementation of
the Ramsar Convention within its territory and highlighted some constraints
they faced in the process. The Parties expressed their concerns about the National
Report Format and provided belated suggestions for its improvement. Lively discussion
unfolded on the draft Strategic Plan 2003-2008 and about how to approach issues
involving the cultural heritage of wetlands. Reporting and compliance issues
received particularly thorough scrutiny, and these portions of the report (paragraphs
79-87) merit special attention. The Bureau received excellent feedback from
the participants on its performance and on the agenda of the next COP, including
the technical sessions. This meeting also provided an opportunity for the participants
to exchange their ideas and experiences. Presentation of other Conventions,
international NGOs, and development assistance agencies provided an additional
benefit for all the CPs and non-CPs to discuss their projects and areas of support
with them directly." Financial support for the meeting was generously provided
by the Government of Japan and the Swedish International Development Agency
(Sida). The formal
report of the meeting, with the list of participants, is available here.
[18/10/01]
Reminder.
SWS Ramsar grants deadline
looms. Eric
Gilman reminds us that the deadline for project proposals for
the Society of Wetland Scientists Ramsar grants is 1 November, so now's the
time to turn off the TV and start writing out those long-contemplated proposals
without delay, except for bathroom breaks and a few peeks into the fridge. Here
is his original announcement of the grants' terms of reference. [18/10/01]
Headline
story. Thailand
designates five excellent new Ramsar sites.
The Ramsar Bureau is pleased to announce that the Government of Thailand has
designated five new Wetlands of International Importance, a diverse collection
of wetland types spread across the extent of the country. Joining Thailand's
previously sole Ramsar site, designated at the time of its accession to the
Convention in 1998, these new sites bring a total of 131,547 additional hectares
under the Ramsar umbrella, for a total of 132,041 ha in Thailand and 87,218,385
ha globally in 1101 Ramsar sites. All five new designations are effective 5
July 2001. The new sites are Bung Khong Long Non-Hunting
Area (2,214 hectares, Nong Khai Province, 17°59’N 103°59’E),
Don Hoi Lot (87,500 ha, Samut
Songkhram Province, 13°21’N 099°59’E), Krabi
Estuary (21,299 ha, Krabi Province, 07°58’N 098°55’E),
Nong Bong Kai Non-Hunting Area
(434 ha, Chiang Rai Province, 20°14’N 100°02’E), and Princess
Sirindhorn Wildlife Sanctuary (Pru To Daeng Wildlife Sanctuary)
(20,100 ha, Narathiwas Province, 06°12’N 101°57’E), and brief
descriptions are available here. [17/10/01] [français
et/y español]
Kenya
names its third Ramsar site.
The Bureau is delighted to announce that Kenya has designated its third Wetland
of International Importance (following Lakes Nakuru and Naivasha), as of 27
August 2001 -- Lake Bogoria (10,700
hectares, 00°15’N 036°05’E), a National Reserve in Rift Valley Province.
An alkaline soda lake hydrologically dominated by hot springs, located in Gregory
Eastern Rift Valley, the site provides critical refuge for the lesser flamingo
(Phoenicopterus minor), with a population of 1 to 1.5 million, and has
high biodiversity values for more than 300 waterbird species. The shoreline
fringe and associated acacia woodland provide critical habitat for the endangered
Greater Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsciseros) and other mammals. The lake’s
stable water level makes it doubly important during periods of drought which
reduce levels in other East African lakes. Regional climate is arid to semi-arid
with low rainfall reliability. Tugen and Jemps pastoralists live in the area,
and livestock grazing is the main land use in the site, but tourism, attracted
to the wildlife, hot springs, spectacular cliffs and escarpments, and the rich
indigenous culture, brings 200,000 visitors annually; in addition, the geysers
are thought by some to have medicinal value. Incidents of flamingo mortality,
perhaps attributable to algal toxins or heavy metal concentrations, are puzzling
and a cause of concern. A new management plan is in preparation and a visitors’
centre is in place. [12/10/01] [français
et/y español]
Ramsar
seeks photos for book of wetland scenes. Dr
Bill Phillips, formerly the Convention's
Deputy Secretary General and now Director of MainStream Environmental Consulting
in Australia, is heading up a Ramsar project, with financial support from the
Governments of Spain and Switzerland, to produce a ca.150-page collection of
excellent photographs, with at least one from each Contracting Party to the
Convention, that demonstrate the full range of wetland types, functions, and
values. Intended mainly as an informative gift for high-level decision-makers
in government and the private sector, the book will be accompanied by a screensaver
on CD-ROM. Here is Bill's announcement,
including information on how amateur photographers around the world can help
achieve this worthy goal. The deadline for submission of JPGs for short-listing
for the final selection is 15 November 2001. [15/10/01]
Announcement.
The Ramsar European regional
meeting begins. Delmar
Blasco, Nick Davidson, Tobias Salathé, Inga Racinska, and Carlos Villalba from
the Bureau are in Bled, Slovenia, for the European Ramsar Regional Meeting,
13-18 October, 2001. The agenda papers, presentations, and abstracts for the
meeting are available
here for download in Word format. [14/10/01]
Ramsar
stresses cooperation with Desertification Convention. During
the 5th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat
Desertification, taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, 1-12 October 2001, Ramsar's
Anada Tiéga addressed the COP and took the opportunity to highlight
the many areas of fruitful cooperation presently under way between the two conventions
and pledged Ramsar's further collaboration in a number of key issues of common
concern. Read his brief speech
right here. [11/10/01]
Announcement to the Ramsar Forum. Call for data for the Asian Waterbird Census 1997-2001 report. David Li of Wetlands International - Asia Pacific describes the present status of the Asian Waterbird Census and calls for input. Read his message to the Ramsar Forum here. [11/10/01)
WWT
wins BA Tourism for Tomorrow Award. The
Wetland Centre, located in the
heart of London, has won the prestigious Global Award in the British Airways
Tourism for Tomorrow Awards for 2001. The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, which
developed and manages the Wetland Centre, was founded by Sir Peter Scott in
1946. Converted from four disused reservoirs, the 40-hectare Wetland Centre
was opened to the public in May 2000 -- the mosaic of lakes, ponds and marshes
with boardwalks, hides, state-of-the-art observatory, cinema and discovery centre,
attracts many thousands of visitors each year including overseas visitors, UK
tourists, local school children as well as the surrounding community. Doug Hulyer,
who was instrumental in the development of the Wetland Centre in London, is
the Ramsar CEPA NGO Focal Point for the UK. In addition, the Wildfowl and Wetlands
Trust and one if its programmes, Wetland Link International, are key players
in one area of the implementation of the Convention's Outreach Programme.
Here's
a bit more detail from Ramsar's Sandra Hails. [09/10/01]
Wetlands International - Oceania
has a new Manager. Wetlands
International reports: "On 1 October 2001, Doug Watkins
was appointed Manager of Wetlands International - Oceania. Doug will continue to be based
at our Canberra office that is hosted by Environment Australia, and he will continue to
oversee implementation of the Shorebird Action Plan, a cornerstone project of Wetlands
International which will be funded by Environment Australia through 2001-2. Doug has been
with Wetlands International since 1995 and has been asociated with shorebirds and wetlands
work for more than 20 years. Added to this technical expertise is his enthusiasm for
building cooperative networks and his commitment to securing conservation outcomes. Doug
will bring new ideas and energy to the management of Wetlands International's operations
in Australia and the Pacific Islands region, which now includes program or project offices
in Canberra, Brisbane, Suva (Fiji) and Madang (PNG). Doug will lead the organisation at a
time of substantial growth in our core programs on shorebird conservation, wetland
inventory, biodiversity surveys and marine conservation. Roger Jaensch
will be working for Wetlands International as Senior Program Officer responsible for
wetland inventory and waterbird surveys especially in inland and northern Australia. This
will occur through collaboration with Federal and State government agencies and with the
scientific and NGO community." [08/10/01]
Vacancy
announcement. Wetlands
International seeks three Junior Experts. Vacancies:
Wetlands International - Junior Expert Programme. Wetlands International
has a core staff of approximately 100 people in 16 offices worldwide and cooperates
with an active global network of wetland specialists who gather and analyze
technical information. Wetlands International's network of wetland specialists
includes, not only its staff, but also national representatives from 55 countries,
scientists and experts in over 20 wetland and waterbird specialist groups and
many other organizations who collaborate on projects. Wetlands International
is governed by a global Board of Directors, which is overseen by an International
Board of Members of over 150 individuals. The Board of Members is composed of
representatives of the National Governments, Donor Organizations, Specialist
Group Coordinators, Partner Organizations and members-at-large. Wetlands International
is now seeking qualified candidates for three Junior Expert positions funded
by the Government of the Netherlands, to be based in Wageningen, The Netherlands;
Dakar, Senegal; and New Delhi, India. [08/10/01]
Lake
biodiversity report available on-line.
Laurie Duker, Conservation Director
for LakeNet, based in Annapolis, USA (laurieduker@monitorinternational.org)
notified the Ramsar Forum that: "The second report in a series published
by the LakeNet Secretariat is now available. Biodiversity
conservation of the world's lakes: A preliminary framework for identifying priorities
[based upon data from UNEP, WCMC, and Ramsar] identifies 250 lakes in
73 countries as initial priorities for biodiversity conservation. Although available
data are limited, these lakes support globally significant fish, mollusc, crab,
shrimp or bird biodiversity or they are representative examples of particularly
rare types of lakes. Most of the identified lakes do not have comprehensive
lake watershed management plans in place. The study includes biological diversity
and limnological information on each priority lake, and water scarcity and institutional
measures (such as accountability) by country. The report is available as a PDF
document at: http://www.worldlakes.org/Biodiversity.htm.
Feedback on the issue of biodiversity and world lakes will be incorporated into
the ongoing "World Lakes Dialogue", so feel free to share your thoughts
or feedback at http://www.worldlakes.org/feedback.htm."
[05/10/01]
Australia
names its 57th Ramsar site.
The Bureau is pleased to announce that the Commonwealth of Australia has designated
its 57th Ramsar site, as of 29 August 2001: the Edithvale-Seaford
Wetlands (261 hectares, 38°04’S 145°07’E) comprises
two separate wetlands near Melbourne, including both freshwater and brackish
lakes (types P, Q, R), both with similar morphology and ecological characteristics
and both under an extensive rehabilitation and management regime by Melbourne
Water. They are of exceptional significance as examples of cost-effective management
of wetlands in an urban setting to provide conservation benefits, manage storm
water, and encourage environmental research and education. The site meets Criteria
1 on uniqueness and 2 on support for vulnerable species, and surpasses the 1%
threshold for Sharp-tailed Sandpipers (Calidris acuminata). Both wetlands
remained after the draining of the once extensive Carrum Carrum Swamp in the
1860s, but additional local draining and encroachments by farming and grazing
have continued into this century. In recent decades active flooding has been
pursued through management intervention; in the 1980s ingress of saline groundwater
resulted in brackish rather than fresh water in the artificial components of
the site, but pumping from nearby creeks is returning the site to a freshwater
system. A management plan and birdwatching facilities are in place, and education
programmes are run by Friends of Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands. [01/10/01] [français
et/y español]
Announcement.
New book
on Louisiana's coastal wetlands.
Dr Bill
Streever,
presently Environmental Studies Leader with BP Exploration (Alaska) in Anchorage,
Alaska, USA, and until recently with the Waterways Experiment Station of the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA, is an active and
very helpful observer/participant in the Convention's Scientific and Technical
Review Panel (STRP) representing the Society of Wetland Scientists.
The University Press of Mississippi has just published Bill's new book on the
efforts to save the coastal wetlands of the state of Louisiana in the USA, and
here is the publisher's press release.
[03/10/01]
Sanbanze landfill cancelled. Following his visit to Sanbanze mudflats on Tokyo Bay,
2 September, Secretary General Delmar Blasco met with the Governor of
Chiba Prefecture, Ms Akiko Domoto,
and discussed the situation there. Now Maggie
Suzuki of Japan
Wetlands Action Network reports: "On
September 26th, Governor Domoto of Chiba prefecture announced in the Chiba Prefectural
Assembly that the remaining 101 hectares of landfill planned at Sanbanze tidal flat in
Tokyo Bay were cancelled. Governor Domoto had promised to 'clean
slate' landfill development at Sanbanze
when she was elected Governor in April this year, but this announcement finally
constituted the actual cancellation of two projects, one in Ichikawa and one in Funabashi,
scaled down in 1999 from over 700 ha. of landfill. The announcement comes in the wake of a
'symposium' held by the Prefecture and attended by Gov. Domoto late
last month, in which most of the twenty citizens invited to give an opinion opposed the
remaining landfill projects. Delmar Blasco, Secretary-General of the international Ramsar
Convention on Wetlands,
visited the site on Sept. 2nd, and the Japan Wetlands Action Network held its annual
International Wetland Symposium in Ichikawa on Sept. 15-16. Local citizens' groups and
non-governmental organizations are celebrating, after a battle to save this remnant
natural tidal environment for 30 years. We extend our appreciation to all of you who have
lent your cooperation and support over the years. Thank you! Most cordially, Maggie Suzuki,
Japan Wetlands Action Network, International Liaison, BYG05310@nifty.ne.jp". [27/09/01]
Announcement.
Ramsar Bureau
seeks Intern for the Americas.
The Ramsar Bureau is seeking applications for the position of Intern/Assistant
to the Regional Coordinator for the Americas. For this internship the applicants
must be nationals of countries from the Americas. The position requires full
ability to work in English and a mother-tongue-level of Spanish. Qualified candidates
from that region are encouraged to read the
general terms of reference for Ramsar Internships and apply
by 31 October 2001, to begin on 1 February 2002. Annette Keller, Ramsar. [27/09/01]
Ramsar
Advisory Mission to Mühlenberger Loch Ramsar site, Germany.
On 23 January 2001 the Federal Republic of Germany informed the Ramsar Bureau
of its wish to restrict the boundary of the Mühlenberger Loch Ramsar site, an
extensive area of tidal mudflats on the Elbe River near Hamburg, in accordance
with Article 2.5 of the Convention, and proposed compensatory measures as indicated
in Article 4.2. In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of the Environment,
Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety, the Ramsar Bureau is visiting the area
24-26 September in order, briefly put, to examine the manner in which the “urgent
national interest” clause in Article 2.5 was invoked and study the compensation
measures proposed. Accompanying Ramsar’s Dr Tobias Salathé on this 45th
Ramsar Advisory Mission are an international legal expert, David Pritchard of
BirdLife International, and an expert on mudflats ecology, Dr Mike Pienkowski,
in addition to Dr Fritz Dieterich from the Federal Ministry, officials of the
Hamburg Environment Authority, and representatives of the NABU/BUND NGO. The
mission's terms of reference are
available here, and the resulting report will be available in due
course. [26/09/01]
New Ramsar Intern for Europe
appointed. The Bureau is pleased to
announce that Mr Sergey Dereliev of Bulgaria
has been selected as the next Intern for Europe/Assistant to the Regional Coordinator for
Europe, to begin as soon as Swiss working papers are cleared later in the northern autumn.
He replaces Inga Raçinska (as if anyone
could) of Latvia. Sergey has an MSc in Biology, with specialization in zoology of
vertebrates and anthropology, from Sofia University, and speaks English, Russian, and
Bulgarian. He presently works with the BirdLife International partner in Bulgaria, BSPB,
and is serving as project manager for the UNDP/GEF project "Study of capacity
building needs of Bulgarian biodiversity conservation organizations in the area of
GIS" as part of the establishment of the CBD Clearing-House Mechanism in Bulgaria. He
is involved in the management of several Ramsar sites along the Black Sea coast,
cofinanced by the Swiss SDC. He is presently in The Netherlands serving as a mentor in the
RIZA/WATC International Course in Wetland Managment, which draws to a close in early
October. The Bureau welcomes Mr Dereliev and looks forward to greeting him in the
secretariat. [25/09/01]
Announcement.
Seminar set for Argentina,
November. An international
seminar on inland fisheries in Latin America, supported by the Universidad Nactional
del Litoral, the Ramsar Convention's Wetlands for the Future, IUCN - Sudamérica,
and the Coalición Ríos Vivos, will be held in Santa Fe, Argentina, 23-25 November.
Here is the Spanish and
English language announcement, with more details, from Fundación
PROTEGER. [24/09/01]
Bolivia
names three very large new Ramsar sites. At
ceremonies on 17 September 2001 presided over by the Minister of Sustainable
Development and Planning, Dr. Ramiro Cavero, and attended by
the Ramsar Secretary General Delmar Blasco
and Mr Denis Landenbergue of The
World Wide Fund for Nature’s Living Waters Campaign, Bolivia designated
three extremely large and promising wetland sites for the List of Wetlands of
International Importance. It should be mentioned that WWF-Bolivia
assisted the Government of Bolivia materially in the preparation of site designation
data, and that all three sites have also been enlisted as WWF "Gifts to
the Earth". The Bolivian Pantanal, at more than 3 million hectares (30,000
km2), becomes the fourth largest Ramsar site in the world (after Botswana’s
Okavango, Canada’s Queen Maud Gulf, and Tanzania's Malagarasi-Muyovozi),
and Bolivia becomes the fifth largest Ramsar Contracting Party in terms of pure
surface area, following Canada, Russia, Botswana, and Brazil. Bolivia now has
six Ramsar sites and the Convention has 1094. WWF's press release on these designations
is available in English, French, and Spanish at http://ramsar.org/w.n.bolivia_wwf3.htm.
The new sites are Los Bañados del Izozog y el
río Parapetí (615,882 hectares, 18°27’S 061°49’W),
El Palmar de las Islas y las Salinas de San José
(856,754 ha, 19°15’S 061°00’W), El Pantanal
Boliviano (3,189,888 ha, 18°00’S 058°30’W) -
brief descriptions are available
here (English, français,
español). [23/09/01]
The
United Kingdom names "Isles of Scilly" to Ramsar List.
The Bureau is delighted to announce that the United Kingdom has designated the
Isles of Scilly (402 hectares, 49°58’N 006°21’W)
as its 163rd Ramsar site, effective 13 August 2001, and as an SSSI
and EC Special Protection Area as well. The site is within the Isles of Scilly
archipelago 45km southwest of Land’s End, England, and mainly consists
of many small uninhabited islands and parts of some inhabited islands, with
habitats including coastal cliffs, boulder beaches, heathland, and some dune
grassland. The economy of local communities depends heavily upon tourism, which
benefits from the presence of high numbers of breeding seabirds in an attractive
environment. The site qualifies for the List by virtue of Criterion 6, for during
the breeding season some 2.9% of the population of Lesser Black-backed Gull
(Larus fuscus) is supported. The sea cliffs, rocky islets, and boulder
beaches are relatively devoid of plant communities except for a sparse crevice
vegetation with Crithmum maritimum and Armeria maritima. An environmental
trust manages most of the land within the site and controls access of visitors
to the most vulnerable areas by voluntary agreement with tour boat operators;
it also maintains a rat control programme to reduce their impact on ground-nesting
seabirds. This is the Convention's 1094th site and is listed as site no. 1095.
[19/09/01] [français et/y
español]
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.
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