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Guidelines for integrating wetlands conservation and wise use into river basin management

Appeal for Assistance for Ramsar Project on

Guidelines for integrating wetlands conservation and wise use into
river basin management for parties to the Ramsar Convention

I wish to ask for your assistance in a project to develop guidelines for integrating wetland conservation and wise use into river basin management.

As most people will be aware, preparations are being made for the 7th Conference of Parties of the Convention (COP7) to be held in Costa Rica in May 1999. One of the important topics to be discussed at one of the technical workshops at the COP will be the linkage between wetlands and their river basins. Sustainable use of wetlands is fundamentally linked to the management of the water resources in the river basin as a whole. Wetlands play a key role in natural flood control, water supply and purification. Furthermore maintenance of water allocation to wetlands is essential to enable them to support the wetland plants, fish and other species that are often critical to the survival of local people and maintenance of nature conservation values.

The linkage between wetlands and water has already been recognised at COP5 and COP6 of the Convention in 1993 and 1996, but to date detailed guidelines on this matter have not yet been adopted by the Parties. In preparation for COP7, it is proposed to prepare a draft decision together with guidelines and case studies to provide guidance for future activities of the Parties to the Convention in this area.

Outputs:

1. A draft decision to be submitted to the consideration of the COP7 in May 1999. The draft decision will adopt Guidelines for the Contracting Parties to integrate wetland conservation and sustainable use into river basin management,
2. A publication including up to ten case studies from different regions of the world illustrating the application of aspects of the guidelines and lessons learned,
3. Enhanced awareness amongst governments and wetland/water sectors of the importance to integrate the management of wetlands and their river basins.

Inputs sought:

• Send information on any existing guidelines of which you are aware which guide the management of wetlands in the context of their river basins.
• Send examples where good management of wetlands and the river basin has taken place or where poor management has led to the loss of wetlands or wetland functions.
• Send examples of specific problems that you are facing in trying to manage wetlands and their river basins.
• Please identify any existing case study reports, which could be included in or adapted for the publication mentioned above, especially those which relate to Ramsar sites.
• Indicate whether you would be interested in inclusion in an informal task force to help develop or review the guidelines.

The Guidelines will be prepared in the period September 1998 to February 1999 and so the inputs requested above are requested as soon as possible.

For more information or to offer contributions please contact me on this email number, fparish@pd.jaring.my , or you can send materials to me by post, courier or fax to the below address:

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Faizal Parish
Consultant, Convention on Wetlands
C/o 835 Lorong 17/22C
46400 Petaling Jaya
Selangor D.E.
Malaysia
Phone/fax +60 3 7564929

For further information, please contact the Ramsar Convention Bureau, Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland (tel +41 22 999 0170, fax +41 22 999 0169, e-mail ramsar@hq.iucn.org). Posted 5 September 1998, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.