What's New @ Ramsar

National training course set for Russia, May 2001

National Training Course

Conservation and Management of Wetlands

10-19 May 2001

Course objectives

• To provide training in various issues related to wetland conservation and management
• To familiarise the participants with a demonstration model of participatory management and sustainable use of wetlands in the "Cranes’ Homeland" wetland area
• To promote contacts and exchange of information and experience among wetland specialists

Target audience

Everyone involved in management and conservation of wetlands, including staff of regional state environmental bodies, NGOs, nature reserves, research institutes and universities.

Course content

Wetland functions and values: definitions and classifications of wetlands; ecological and hydrological aspects of their functioning; wetland species; traditional land use practices in wetland areas

Inventory and monitoring: purpose of inventory; survey approaches and techniques; evaluation of wetlands; monitoring programmes

Wetland management: management plans, their purpose, structure and content; community involvement in wetland management; development of draft management plans for wetland sites selected by participants

Wetland conservation: Ramsar Convention on Wetlands; network of internationally important wetlands (Ramsar sites); national wetland legislation; role of international and national NGOs in wetland conservation

Fundraising for wetland conservation: development of project proposals for the conservation of wetland sites

Education: information on international and national wetland courses and educational programmes

The course language will be Russian

Organization

The course is organized by the Wetlands International-Russia Programme.

The lecturing staff is drawn from the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation, Russian Research Institute for Nature Protection, Institute of Forestry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow University, WWF–Russian Programme Office, GEF Project for Biodiversity Conservation, Wildlife Conservation Centre, "Cranes’ Homeland" Administration, Russian Bird Conservation Union, and other national NGOs and research institutions. The lecturing staff includes leading experts in wetland conservation from Armenia, Belarus, Czech Republic, and Ukraine.

Cost

The full cost of the course, including travel, teaching, excursions and living expenses, will be covered by the Wetlands International-Russia Programme.

Financial support to the Wetlands International-Russia Programme is provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries, The Netherlands

-- contributed by Irina Kamennova ( IKamennova@wwf.ru )

Site of the course excursion to Cranes' Homeland (not in May, obviously)(or hopefully!)

Cranes

For further information about the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, 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@ramsar.org). Posted 2 April 2001, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.