Update on wetland managers training program in Australia

15/02/08

Dear Forum members,

In 2006 we reported on a new training program for wetland managers being set up in Australia with financial assistance from the Australian Government. Two years on, this program has completed 14 two-day courses on a range of topics (see below) with nearly 230 wetland practitioners participating to date.

The program, now known by the name Wetlands.edu, has developed 17 training courses (modules), several of which draw heavily on guidance developed under the Ramsar Convention (in areas such as CEPA, management planning etc). Courses include the following: wetland ecology – fundamentals needed for site management; wetland watering – understanding wetland hydrological needs; inventory and assessment; classification and prioritization; how to design and implement a wetland monitoring program; multi-stakeholder management planning; communicating the values of wetlands; incentive mechanisms for wetland management; managing wetlands for multiple (wise)-use outcomes; ecological risk assessment in wetland management; wetland restoration and rehabilitation.

This program has been developed by a consortium of business and government sector interests comprising; the Hunter Wetlands Centre Australia, the Wetland Education and Training program of the Sydney Olympic Park Authority, Banrock Station Wine and Wetland Centre, Dr Bill Phillips (Mainstream Environmental Consulting), Dr Rhonda Butcher (Water’s Edge Consulting) and Jennifer Hale Consulting.

In 2008 and beyond, Wetlands.edu is keen to look for opportunities to share ideas with other similar programs around the world and to offer its training to people keen to take advantage of this assembled training material. If you want to know more about the program and how it operates visit our web site (www.wetlandsedu.org.au) or contact the coordinator, Dr Bill Phillips on coordinator@wetlandsedu.org.au

-- Bill Phillips