The Ramsar Bulletin Board, 2 December 2008

Headline story.Networking with wetland managers in Nordic-Baltic countries. Networking with wetland managers in Nordic-Baltic countries was the focus of the 4th seminar of the Nordic-Baltic Wetland Initiative on 23-25 September 2008 in Finland. It brought together 35 Ramsar focal points from national and provincial administrative authorities, wetland managers, environmental monitoring specialists and others. The main theme of the seminar was wetland management planning, aiming to increase the exchanges between Nordic and Baltic countries of lessons learnt and to form active planning networks for the future. The seminar was perfectly organized by Ms Tiina Niikkonen of Metsähallitus, the Finnish state enterprise that administers more than 12 million hectares of state-owned land and water areas, with support from the Ministry of Environment, in the village of Kempele, close to Oulu airport at the edge of Ramsar site N°1523 Liminganlahti Bay Area. Ramsar's Tobias Salathé provides the details, with photos. [01/12/08]

Headline story. Culture at Ramsar COP10. During the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties of the Convention on Wetlands, held in Changwon from 28 October to 4 November 2008, the South Korean authorities and the Convention's Culture Working Group ensured that there would be no shortage of events to highlight the role of cultural values in wetland management. Thymio Papayannis surveys the activities that took place there and summarizes the Convention's way forward on these issues. [01/121/08]

Now available.Good practices and lessons learned in integrating ecosystem conservation and poverty reduction objectives in wetlands. While recognizing the arguments for linking conservation with poverty reduction, literature reviewing integrated conservation and development projects (ICDPs) emphasize the complexities involved in moving from theory to practice. Some question whether meaningful conservation and poverty reduction results can be achieved simultaneously, while others suggest results can improve with a better understanding of strategies and processes. This Lessons and Good Practices (Ls&GPs) study conducted by IWMI for Wetlands International (WI) (with funding from the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs) explores these views using several wetland-based ICDPs as case-studies. IWMI's Sanjiv de Silva explains the studies and provides links to PDF downloads. [01/12/08]

From the Ramsar Forum.World Wetland Network (WWN). “One of the outputs of the Ramsar COP meeting was the formation of the World Wetland Network (WWN), a support network for NGO’s involved in wetland conservation work. The WWN has a minimal management committee made up of volunteers, but if the network proves to be active, we may seek funding to get some more resources to run it. The WWN aims to give smaller wetland NGO’s a voice in the Ramsar convention, do some specific work with the Romanian NGO’s on the run up to the next Ramsar COP meeting in 2012, as well as offering best practice and support to partners in the meantime. For more information please do not hesitate to contact me – I would be happy to forward you the workplan and terms of reference, and I act as the Chair of the WWN. If you are a wetland NGO and would like to join the mailing list, then please contact Esteban Biamonte, at uniondeornitologoscr@gmail.com. Best regards, Chris.” -- Chris Rostron, Head of Wetland Link International, WWT London Wetland Centre (chris.rostron@wwt.org.uk). [01/12/08]

Headline story.Niumi-Saloum named as Africa's first Transboundary Ramsar site. The Secretariat is extremely pleased to congratulate the governments of Gambia and Senegal for their declaration of the first African Transboundary Ramsar Site and the first Transboundary Ramsar Site outside of Europe, called Niumi-Saloum. Delta du Saloum was designated as Senegal’s third Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in 1984, and Gambia’s Niumi National Park was designated on 13 October 2008, also the third Ramsar site in that country. Ramsar's Cynthia Kibata provides all the details here. [28/11/08]

Who's Where?

Nick Davidson, Deputy Secretary General, is participating in 9th meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Migratory Species in Rome, Italy, 1-5 December 2008, and associated events. [29/11/08]

For more old Ramsar Secretariat travel news, see also 'Who Was Where', 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008

Yesterday's News!

Italy removes Stagno di Cagliari from the Montreux Record. The Secretariat is pleased to announce that Italy has completed the formalities for the removal of the last of its Ramsar sites  that has been on the Montreux Record of sites “where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring or are likely to occur” for quite a few years. According to documentation provided by the Administrative Authority in the Ministry of the Environment and Territory and the Sea, managers at “Stagno di Cagliari” on the island of Sardinia have made substantial progress in resolving the problems for which the site was added to the Record in 1990, and after consultations with the Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP) it has been removed from the Record as of 25 November 2008. Ramsar's Monica Zavagli provides further details here. [26/11/08]

Date and venue of the next COP. The Contracting Parties at Ramsar COP10 welcomed the offer of Romania to host the next meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties, COP11, set for late in the northern spring of 2012, the exact date to be determined later.

New Standing Committee elected. At the final plenary session of Ramsar COP10 on 4 November, the Parties elected the new Standing Committee for the next triennium. In the framework of proportional representation laid out in Resolution VII.1 (2002), for Africa we have Cameroon, Mauritius, Nigeria, and Tanzania (Tunisia was provisionally chosen as well in the event that the African region should reach 49 Contracting Parties before the next COP); for Asia, China, Lebanon, and Thailand; for Europe, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, and Georgia; for the Neotropics, Jamaica, Panama, and Paraguay; for North America, Mexico; and for Oceania, the Marshall Islands. The Republic of Korea and Romania are also SC members as host of the most recent and next meetings of the COP, Switzerland and the Netherlands continue as permanent observers as hosts to the Secretariat and Wetlands International, and the International Organization Partners also continue as permanent observers.

At the subsequent 39th meeting of the Standing Committee, the new Committee elected Dr Kim Chan-woo [photo above] of the Republic of Korea as the SC Chair for this term and Paraguay was elected Vice-Chair. The new Subgroup on Finance was also chosen (China, Finland, Jamaica, Marshall Islands, Mexico, and Nigeria), and Finland was elected its Chair. The Standing Committee welcomed the offer of Georgia to host the next full Standing Committee meeting, SC40, in Batumi, tentatively set for 11-15 May 2009. [10/11/08]

Now available. Reports of Standing Committee 38 (27 October 2008) and Standing Committee 39 (4 November 2008), both in PDF format. [10/11/08]

Ramsar COP10 enters history. The 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties drew to a happy conclusion on 4 November in Changwon, Korea, and now we’re left to sort it all out. Thirty-two of the 33 draft Resolutions were adopted in one form or another, some easily, some with ad hoc contact groups spilling out into the lobby right to the last minute. A budget got passed for the next triennium, a lot of STRP guidance on various matters got adopted, and the Changwon Declaration, a sort of blueprint for the future of wetlands, intended to sensitize readers in other sectors on the importance of wetland wise use for their work as well, got an enthusiastic send-off. Nearly a gazillion side events brought people together to learn about wetland-related initiatives and organizations all over the world, and the exhibition hall provided a short course in current wetland activities globally, and especially in Asia. The COP participants luxuriated in a perfect bath of Korean hospitality, with several dinners with entertainment, excursions to nearby sites of interest, a brilliant festival of traditional Korean culture going on outside all week, and the helpful, ready smiles of countless Korean volunteers.

Most of the Secretariat staff are presently convalescing after the past year’s COP deadlines and the round-the-clock COP itself, but later in November we’ll settle down to finalizing and harmonizing the latest revisions to the draft Resolutions and preparing to publish the official Proceedings of the COP, which will appear on the Ramsar Web site and on CD-ROM hopefully by the end of the year. In the meantime, here is one more page of photographs from the final days of the COP, snapped off hastily amid the deluge of document revisions raining down upon us throughout. [08/11/08]

Field trips for the delegates. After four days of plenary sessions punctuated by regional caucuses and late night contact groups, today, 2 November, is set aside for field trips and excursions for the participants to notable wetlands and other interesting sights in the region. This gives the Secretariat a chance to prepare and distribute the latest versions of all the negotiated draft Resolutions so that the final round of debates and adoption can proceed briskly on the last two days of the COP, 3 and 4 November 2008. [02/11/08)COP10 progress.

COP10's second full day. On the second full day of deliberations, ever so slightly behind in the agenda already, the Parties tucked into the issues left outstanding from previous COP meetings, deciding not to pursue at this meeting the question of the unadopted COP9 draft Resolution on Transboundary Ramsar Sites and setting up a contact group to study further the matter of the legal status of the Ramsar Secretariat. Parties urged a number of refinements to the draft Strategic Plan 2009-2014, which will be issued in a Rev. 1 tomorrow, and then received a financial report from theUSA (left), Chair of the Standing Committee on Finance, before naming a Committee on Finance for COP10 and charging that group with debating a number of proposed options for the Convention's core budget for the period until COP11 in 2012. The participants also got to see a previews of the forthcoming DisneyNature film The Crimson Wing about the Lake Natron Ramsar site in Tanzania. Initial debates on the 32 draft Resolutions confronting the meeting will begin tomorrow, 31 October. Today we have a page of photos of some plenary discussions, the amazing traditional arts festival taking place outside all this week, and some of the imaginative but highly decorous demonstrations that are enlivening the grounds outside the convention centre virtually non-stop. Not only that -- we also have a page of snaps of some of the exhibitions that have been mounted here in the centre as well as some more taking place in the Green Growth Exhibition just next door, including the children's art exhibit. Visit the Earth Negotiations Bulletin for details and analysis of the day's doings. [30/10/08]

Ramsar COP10 first plenary sessions. Wednesday, 29 October, opened with the first plenary sessions, and the participants got through the standard COP business of approving the agenda and the Rules of Procedure, admitting observers, appointing committees, and electing the COP officers -- the COP elected as its President Mr Maanee Lee, Minister of Environment of Korea, and as Alternate President Mr Kim, Director General of the Ministry of Environment of Korea. Mr Patrick van Klaveren of Monaco for Europe and Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi of the Republic of South Africa representing Africa were chosen as Vice-Presidents. Then a round of progress reports got underway, from the Standing Committee Chair, a representative of the World Wetlands NGO conference, the Chair of the Scientific and Technical Review Committee (STRP, left), and the Secretary General. Tomorrow picks up with issues arising from Resolutions of past COPs, specifically in this case the evolution of the Transboundary Ramsar Sites initiative and the legal status of the Secretariat. Here's a page of photographs of the first plenary and a demonstration against "reclamation" just outside the venue. [29/10/08]

COP10 documents news.New documents for 29 October. As requested by the SC38 meeting, COP10 DOC. 38 is a revision of SC document SC38-6 on Transboundary Ramsar Sites setting out the Standing Committee's recommendations to the COP on this matter. DOC. 39 is a list of registered observer states and organizations for the COP's consideration under Agenda item VII on 29 October. The links are to Word documents in English; PDF versions are also available here, and the French and Spanish versions are now available as well. The Culture Working Group's "Culture and wetlands: a Ramsar guidance document" is also available in each of the three languages as a 6MB PDF (the high resolution version is also available on CD-ROM) -- see the links at the bottom of the COP documents index in each language. [29/10/08]

Ramsar COP10 getting started now. The preparations are nearly complete and the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties is getting started now -- literally "now", as Mr Lee Myung-pak, President of the Republic of Korea, is welcoming the participants just one floor up right this moment and opening an event that the Korean press is calling the "Environment Olympics". The Ramsar Standing Committee held its 38th meeting yesterday and has now transformed itself into the "Conference Committee" for the next week or so, and all today the Parties have been meeting in regional caucuses. At the Opening Ceremony this evening, participants are being treated to a video message from the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr Ban Ki-Moon, and live addresses from Korea's Minister of Environment, Minister of Land, Transport, and Maritime Affairs, and the Governor of Gyeongnam Province, Ramsar's Secretary General, the Director General of IUCN, a representative of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Executive Director of UNEP, with some songs performed by the "Little Angels" children's choir. Following all which, the winners of the 2008 Ramsar Conservation Awards are receiving their honors and there is a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Danone-Evian Intiative partnership in support of the Convention. And that's to be followed by a Welcoming Dinner for everyone here in the convention centre. Here's a page of photographs of the early stages today and the cultural festival taking place outside. [28/10/08]

Japan names four new sites for COP10. The government of Japan has designated four more Wetlands of International Importance for the Ramsar List, and the Japanese delegation will be hosting a 30 October side event at Ramsar COP10 to celebrate the new Ramsar sites and receive the official site certificates. Ramsar’s Pragati Tuladhar has prepared brief site descriptions based on the accompanying Ramsar Information Sheets. [23/10/08]

Two last-minute Ramsar designations. As the staff departs for Korea, the last two site designations have been added to the Ramsar List. Malaysia has named a natural coastal mangrove and peat swamp forest in Sabah province under the name "Lower Kinabatangan-Segama Wetlands" (78,803 hectares, 05°38'N 118°35'E), and Nepal has designated "Mai Pokhari" (90 hectares, 27°00'N 087°56'E), a permanent freshwater pond that has great religious and cultural value in the Buddhist, Hindu, and Mundhum traditions. [23/10/08]

COP10 side events.WWF side event on management effectiveness. “Dear Ramsar Forum members, Do you want to know status of your wetland? how to improve its management effectiveness? Then join us for a side event during COP10 in Changwon on 4 November 13:15-14:45 (room 603). Please forward this announcement to your colleagues attending the COP (especially governmental representatives) and encourage them to participate in the event. If you need more information, please do not hesitate to contact me or visit our Management Effectiveness web site: http://www.panda.org/parkassessment.” -- Alexander Belokurov, Manager, Landscape Conservation, WWF International, Gland, Switzerland (abelokurov@wwfint.org). Invitation (PDF), detailed description of the event (PDF). [23/10/08]

COP10 side events.MedWet film screenings. "You are invited to a side event presenting films on Mediterranean wetlands at the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention (COP10), Changwon, Republic of Korea. Organised by MedWet the screening will feature films that participated in the Ramsar MedWet film award organised in the framework of the Ecofilms Festival.  Side event title: Screening of films o­n wetlands and water Date: 31 October  Time: 18:15-19:45 h  Room: 607   The following films are proposed to you: One meter below the fish, M. Mellara, A. Rossi, Italy, 2006, 58' and Rain is Falling, H. Ernst, Germany 15'. Read more about the side event of MedWet at COP10 here.” -- Sofia Spirou,Communications Officer, MedWet Secretariat. [23/10/08]

France's newest Ramsar sites. The government of France has designated a fascinating collection of eleven new Wetlands of International Importance. In addition to several lagoon systems along the northern and southern coasts, there are two additional lagoons along the beautiful east coast of Corsica. Perhaps most interestingly, there are also several new sites in France’s overseas territories, or outre-mer, including a coral reef system near Tahiti in French Polynesia, sites on Martinique and in French Guyana, and a 2.2 million hectare expanse of the southern Indian Ocean that includes the French sub-Antarctic archipelagos Crozet and Kerguelen and the Amsterdam and Saint-Paul islands. In addition, the new sites include the long-awaited “Impluvium d’Evian”, the plateau across Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) from the Ramsar Secretariat from which rainwater filters downward over twenty years to become the purified mineral waters of Evian-les-Bains, the lakeside spa centre and home of the Ramsar centre and botanical garden “Pré Curieux”. The Danone Group, owner of the Evian bottled water company, has generously supported the Ramsar Convention’s outreach efforts over the past ten years through the “Evian Initiative” and the “Ecoles de l’Eau” project.

France now has 36 Ramsar sites, covering an area of 3,315,695 hectares. Ramsar’s Assistant Advisor for Europe, Monica Zavagli, has prepared brief site descriptions for the Annotated Ramsar List. [22/10/08]

Chad names very large Ramsar site. The government of Chad has designated the “Plaine de Massenya” (2,526,000 hectares, 11°15'N 16°15'E) as its sixth Wetland of International Importance, bringing its total area under Ramsar listing to 12,405,068 hectares, second only to Canada in total area listed. According to Cynthia Kibata, Ramsar’s Assistant Advisor for Africa, the site, located in the southwestern regions of the country, is an inland wetland that forms part of the Lake Chad Basin and is characterized by freshwater marshes, rivers, streams and creeks. It plays several roles such as flood control, sediment capture, groundwater renewal, etc. Various endangered species that also attract tourists are present, e.g., the African elephant, leopards, the Nile crocodile, and others. There are 386 species of birds noted in the area, as well as numerous fish species, due to the occurrence of vegetation such as Echinachloa sp among others. The most important livelihood activities in the area are fishing, agriculture and livestock keeping. The main threats are deforestation, high concentrations of livestock, bush fires, over-fishing practices, poaching and lack of personnel with technical capabilities to ensure proper management practices. In the surrounding areas the major threat is caused by exploration activities for petroleum. Development projects in the area are being carried out by NGOs, e.g., education of the local communities on sustainable management of their resources, and an inventory is being carried out on sustainable energy sources.

The preparation of this important new designation has been supported by the WWF International Freshwater Programme. [22/10/08]

Gambia’s third Ramsar site. The government of Gambia has designated Niumi National Park (4,940 hectares, 13°34’N 016°31’W) as its third Ramsar site. As summarized by Ramsar’s Cynthia Kibata, this is a complex of wetland types along the coastal strip of the northern section of the River Gambia, ranging from coastal to inland wetlands which hold important hydrological values, i.e. flood control, groundwater replenishment, shoreline stabilization and sediment and nutrient retention and export. The flora and fauna are of particular note due to their abundance and adaptations to the range of habitat types found within the site. The noteworthy flora include Rhizophora mangrove forest, Nymphaea lotus, Parkia biglobosa etc. – noteworthy fauna include 303 species of resident and migratory birds, the West African manatee, leopards, and Red Colobus monkeys. Human uses within the site are noted as rice cultivation, livestock rearing, and fishing activities. In the surrounding areas some small industries are in operation. Potential threats are due to unsuitable fishing practices, illegal hunting, land clearance, expansion of agricultural activity, and sand mining.

The management plan is being updated and a management committee is to be established following completion of the endangered species survey. The site adjoins Senegal’s Delta du Saloum Ramsar site and collaborative management arrangements are being formalized. [22/10/08]

Uzbekistan names second Ramsar site. The government of Uzbekistan has added the AydarArnasayLakesSystem (527,100 hectares, 40°47’N 067°46’E) to the Ramsar List. This ornithological protected area is the largest reservoir of Uzbekistan, consisting of freshwater lakes situated in the middle stream of the Syrdarya river and on the irrigated massif of Golodnaya steppe and Kyzyllum desert. As summarized by Ramsar’s Pragati Tuladhar, the site is located at the crossroads of the Afro-Eurasian and Central Asian flyways and a centre for migrating and wintering waterbirds, with more than 100 species noted. It provides habitat to threatened species like White-headed Duck Savka (Oxyura leucocephala), Sociable Lapwing (Chettusia gregaria), Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus), Red-breasted Goose (Rufibrenta ruficollis), Lesser White-fronted Goose(Anser erytropus), andPallas Sea-eagle(Haliaetus leucoryphus) and provides an important source of food and a spawning ground for various species of fish. The main vegetations are reed communities used by local people, saltwort and tamarisk. An action plan for maintaining the stability of ecological conditions, 2008-2015, is in place. [22/10/08]

Australia’s 65th Ramsar site. The government of Australia has designated the “Paroo River Wetlands” (138,304 hectares, 30°20’S 143°51’E), part of a National Park in New South Wales, as its 65th Ramsar site. The Paroo is the last remaining free-flowing river in the Murray-Darling Basin, and the site features such wetland types as large overflow lakes, tree-lined creeks and waterholes, lignum and canegrass swamps, and artesian mound spring. The site is one of the most important wetland systems for waterbirds in eastern Australia and supports a number of threatened plant and animal species as well as significant native fish communities. The area is highly significant for local Aboriginal people in terms of archaeological, traditional and contemporary social values. [22/10/08]

As of today, the Convention has registered 1,801 Ramsar sites covering a total area of 163,022,001 hectares. But more new sites will be added in the next few days before the COP begins. [17/10/08]

Invitation.COP10 High Andean side event. The Contact Group of the Strategy for the Conservation and Wise Use of High Andean Wetlands is pleased to invite you to the High Andean Wetlands Side Event to take place during the COP10 in Changwon, Republic of Korea. The main purpose of this event is to present the lessons learned in the formulation process and the implementation of this Strategy. See the invitation.

El Grupo de Contacto de la Estrategia Regional de Conservación y Uso Sostenible de Humedales Altoandinos se complace en invitarle al Evento Paralelo de Humedales Altoandinos a llevarse a cabo durante la COP10 en Changwon, Corea del Sur. El propósito principal de dicho evento es dar a conocer las experiencias aprendidas durante el proceso de formulación e implementación de dicha estrategia. Ver invitación.

Help for the Secretariat. The Ramsar staff is pleased to welcome Ms Emily Reed, who will be covering the office during our absence at the COP and taking care of our World Wetlands Day requests to the end of the year. Emily graduated in Development and Environmental Geography from King’s College University London in 2008. She has previously done volunteer work for the Green Party U.K and the water quality campaign group Surfers Against Sewage. She will be helping us as a volunteer with Ramsar until Christmas, during which time she hopes to learn more about how the Secretariat functions. The Secretariat is extraordinarily pleased to have this help at this key time, as we are especially busy with the preparations for the 10th Conference of the Contracting Parties which begins in less than two weeks’ time. [16/10/08]

From the Ramsar Forum.Isahaya tidal-flat has gone? Never! “Dear Forum members, Japan Wetlands Action Network (JAWAN) would like to introduce new articles about Isahaya Bay and the Ariake Sea problem at JAWAN’s web-site. A national land reclamation project obliterated Isahaya Bay’s tidal flat in 1997, but many people including fishermen, NGOs and scientists continue to work towards the initiation of restoration at Isahaya bay. ‘Why it still matters 11 years after the shut-down?’ http://www.jawan.jp/e/news/081015isahaya.html . Please visit our exhibition booth (C-11) at CECO, the venue of the COP10, to get more information, thank you. Regards, Yoshino, Japan Wetlands Action Network.”

Italy designates its 51st Ramsar site. The government of Italy has named “Lagustelli di Percile” (256 hectares, 42°06’N 012°55’E) as its next Wetland of International Importance. As summarized by Ramsar’s Monica Zavagli, this Natura 2000 SPA and Regional Natural Park in the hills of the province of Roma consists of two closed Apennine lakes, “Marraone” (the smaller with only 40 m diameter) and the wider “Marrone” also called “Fraturno” (118 m diam, depth 14 m), and their surroundings. The two basins constitute one of the most interesting areas of karstic origin of central Italy and their circular morphology witness their origin as dolines. The main habitats are large reed beds, built up by Phragmites australis associated with Scirpus spp. and Alisma plantago-aquatica, riparian vegetation with Salix spp., Populus spp., typical aquatic vegetation river-side, such as Potamogeton spp. and Myriophyllum sp., and important population of orchids growing on the calcareous grasslands around the lakes. The site also supports several species protected at European level such as:Salamandra terdigidata, Triturus carnifex, Bombina variegate, Euplagia quadripunctata, Euphydryas (aurinia) provincialis and Lanius collurio. Cow grazing and tourism are the main threats in the area. [16/10/08]

Peru names important mangrove habitat. The government of Peru has designated its 13th Wetland of International Importance with the “Manglares de San Pedro de Vice” (3,399 hectares, 05°31’S 080°53’W). According to Ramsar’s Mila Llorens, based on the accompanying Ramsar Information Sheet, this wetland in northern Peru is the last mangrove relict of the southern Pacific coast of South America and is composed of two mangrove species Avicennia germinans and Laguncularia racemosa, as well as 43 species of Phanerogamous plants. The site is part of the coastal wetland corridor for migratory birds, registering 98 species of resident and migratory waterfowl. The mangrove is habitat to many fish species, reptiles, invertebrates and micro fauna, and some mammal species such as Pseudalopex sechurae, Didelphys marsupialis and Conepatus semistriatus can also be spotted in the site. It is also of great social and economic importance for the inhabitants of the area, undertaking activities such as subsistence fishing and extraction of crustaceans and mollusks. The wetland is currently threatened due to inadequate management and lack of planning. Every year thousands of tourists visit the site, leaving trash behind, which accumulates and creates not only a visual impact but affects the wildlife living in it. There is a strong relation between the dry forest, the mangroves and the coastal desert, which are important for mammals and birds. [16/10/08]

Invitation.CREHO side event at COP10. The Ramsar Regional Center for Training and Research on Wetlands in the Western Hemisphere is pleased to invite you to participate in the Side Event: "Ramsar Regional Center, Strengthening the Capacities in the Americas". The event will take place during the Ramsar COP 10 in Korea, on October 30th, 2008, from 18:00 to 19:30 hours, room 603. We look forward to seeing you there. More information: info@creho.org.

El Centro Regional Ramsar para la Capacitación e Investigación sobre Humedales para  el Hemisferio Occidental se complace en invitarle a participar del Evento Paralelo: “Centro Regional Ramsar, Fortaleciendo Capacidades en las Américas“. El evento se realizará durante la COP 10 de RAMSAR en Corea, el día treinta (30) de octubre de 2008, a partir de las 18:00 a las 19:30 horas en el salón 603.  Esperamos contar con su distinguida presencia. Más información info@creho.org. -- Cristina Tzanetatos, CREHO. [16/10/08]

France and Germany collaborate on new Ramsar sites. The Ramsar Secretariat is extremely pleased to announce that the governments of France and Germany have jointly designated two new Wetlands of International Importance and inscribed them as the ninth Transboundary Ramsar Site (see joint instrument here, PDF). The TRS covers both sides of the upper river Rhine between the two countries, roughly from the Karlsruhe area southward past Strasbourg and Freiburg nearly to Basel, some 170-190 km. The French Ramsar site, “Rhin supérieur / Oberrhein”, includes 22,413 hectares in the Alsace region, and the German one, “Oberrhein / Rhin supérieur”, covers 25,117 hectares in Baden-Württemberg, with a joint TRS centre point of 48°25’N 007°45’E. Both Ramsar sites are Natura 2000 Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and both share great importance for any number of reasons, not least of which is their support for internationally significant numbers of migratory birds. It’s worth mentioning that this is a fitting reward for Dr Edith Wenger, who has been advocating for and working towards just this result for many years.

Brief site descriptions for the Annotated Ramsar List have been prepared from the respective Ramsar Information Sheets by Ramsar’s Assistant Advisor for Europe, Monica Zavagli. [15/10/08]

Tour du Valat at the IUCN World Conservation Congress. Tour du Valat participated at the IUCN World Conservation Congress, 5-14 October, in Barcelona and organised a knowledge cafe on the project Observatory of Mediterranean wetlands. This workshop that took place on October 8th and provided the opportunity to present and discuss the project which has been developed with a host of partners including among others Wetlands International, WWF, and BirdLife International, and it provided a platform to discuss the future evolution of such an initiative. The proposal about the Observatory of Mediterranean wetlands will also be discussed at the Ninth Meeting of the Mediterranean Wetlands Committee (MedWet/Com9), planned to take place on 28 October 2009, Changwon, Republic of Korea, in the framework of the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention (COP10).

 Read more on the project Observatory of Mediterranean wetlands on the website of Tour du Valat.Source: Jean Jalbert, Director General, Tour du Valat. [16/10/08]

Important note.End of COP10 pre-registration. Ramsar registration staff are heading to Korea, and online pre-registration will close at 09.00 GMT on Monday, 20 October 2008.  It will still be possible to register at the desk in person at the Conference.

El personal de Ramsar encargado del registro está en camino a Corea, por lo tanto, el registro en línea cerrará a las 09.00 GTM el día lunes 20 de octubre 2008. Sin embargo, será posible registrarse al comenzar la Conferencia.

Le personnel de Ramsar responsable de l’enregistrement est en route pour la Corée, par conséquent, l’enregistrement en ligne fermera à 09h.00 GTM, le lundi 20 octobre 2008. Bien sûr, il sera toujours possible de s’enregistrer sur place avant la Conférence. [15/10/08]

From the Ramsar Forum.Heroes of the Environment. "Dear all, Please read the issue of Time magazine dated Oct 6, 2008 where all the heroes of the environment of several countries are featured. For someone who has contributed a lot to the wetlands ( I believe she subscribes to this forum too) especially the mangroves, I wish to congratulate Jurgenne Primavera of the Philippines. She is someone dear to our hearts especially if you come from Asia where the mangroves thrive. She has done so much & we think it was great seeing her being recognized by Time magazine. Cheers Jurgenne Primavera!! You are one of my Gurus!! Regards, Harban Singh, Malaysia." [14/10/08]

WWF provides lessons and guide to climate adaptation for freshwater wetlands. Recently WWF published two reports, one on lessons from field projects (two involving Ramsar sites) and a guide to climate adaptation for freshwater wetlands. Managers and stakeholders in freshwater systems need to stop talking about adaptation to climate change and start doing it, WWF says. The Ramsar International Organisation Partner presented a series of case studies from four continents showing that measures to improve the health of stressed water systems now would improve their ability to cope with projected climate impacts in the future. Jamie Pittock surveys the issues and describes the new publications, with a link to them on the Panda web site. [13/10/08]

2009 MAP Children's Mangrove Art Calendar. “Dear Friends of the Mangroves, the Mangrove Action Project's 9th international children's art competition has come to a successful close with again some beautiful children's art work coming to us from around the world, ensuring an inspiring next edition of our Children's Mangrove Art Calendar, offering our members a great way to keep track of the days ahead, while offering an excellent opportunity to contribute to MAP's ongoing efforts at the same time! Please order your calendars online at http://www.mangroveactionproject.org/get-involved/store/2009-map-childrens-art-calendar -- calendars are $12 plus $2 for shipping within the US and Canada, and $4 for shipping outside of N. America. MAP asks our members to help support this unique project because the calendar contest provides an opportunity for participating NGOs to build relationships with teachers and to provide school children with environmental information. Educating children on the importance of mangrove and coastal ecosystems is critical to effecting long-term change.” –  Monica Alicia Paz Gutierrez-Quarto, Calendar Project Coordinator, Mangrove Action Project. [13/10/08]

Now available. WWD materials for 2009. As in the past, the Ramsar Secretariat is distributing materials (in English, French, and Spanish) that we hope will be helpful to you in your WWD activities. The basic mailing includes -- Posters and stickers on the theme in both hard copy and in printable format on the CD -- A full-colour leaflet to brief you on 9 things we all need to know about river basins, available as a PDF file on the CD at two different resolutions --  Do-it-yourself frogs for some hands-on activity for children of all ages, available on the CD as PDF files and including an instruction sheet (no staples or glue needed this year, just some clever finger-work!) -- 20 Questions for children (maybe with a little help from their teachers or animators!) -- Two comic strips from Pattie in Argentina for your amusement. A second CD has also been prepared with the original designer files for those who wish to customize the materials or translate them into local languages, but that will be sent only on special request.

The first mailing took place in early October 2008, but you can ensure that you receive the materials, too, by contacting the Secretariat (wwd@ramsar.org). All of the basic materials are also available for downloading from here. [10/10/08]

Now available. 38th Standing Committee. The 38th meeting of the Ramsar Standing Committee will take place in Changwon, Republic of Korea, on 27 October, the day before the opening of the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties. The agenda is mostly occupied with getting the COP off to a good start, and there are only eight agenda papers for participants to memorize this time. Here they are. [03/10/08]

Feedback and suggestions are welcome to the Ramsar Convention Secretariat, Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland (tel +41 22 999 0170, fax +41 22 999 0169, e-mail ).