The
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
National Wetland Policies --
Canada
This reprint of the Canadian National
Wetland Policy is taken directly, with permission, from the WetNet Wetlands Network site http://www.wetlands.ca/wetcentre/wetcanada/federal-policy/fedpol.html.
-- Ramsar Web Editor.
The Canadian Federal
Government Policy on Wetland Conservation
Strategies
- Developing Public Awareness
- Managing Wetlands on Federal Lands and Waters
and in other Federal Programs
- Promoting Wetland Conservation in Federal
Protected Areas
- Enhancing Cooperation
- Conserving Wetlands of Significance to
Canadians
- Ensuring a Sound Scientific Basis for Policy
- Promoting International Actions
The objective of the Federal Government with respect to
wetland conservation is to:
"promote the conservation of Canada's wetlands to
sustain their ecological and socio-economic functions, now and in the future."
In support of the above objective, the Federal Government,
in cooperation with the provinces and territories and the Canadian public, will strive to
achieve the following goals:
- maintenance of the functions and values derived from
wetlands throughout Canada
- no net loss of wetland functions on all federal lands and
waters
- enhancement and rehabilitation of wetlands in areas where
the continuing loss or degradation of wetlands or their functions have reached critical
levels
- recognition of wetland functions in resource planning,
management and economic decision-making with regard to all federal programs, policies and
activities
- securement of wetlands of significance to Canadians
- recognition of sound, sustainable management practices in
sectors such as forestry and agriculture that make a positive contribution to wetlands
conservation while also achieving wise use of wetland resources
- utilization of wetlands in a manner that enhances prospects
for their sustained and productive use by future generations
In pursuing the above objectives, the Federal Government
will respect the following principles. All are critical to this Policy and are not
presented in a particular order of importance:
- Wetlands and their functions contribute significantly to
the health and well-being of Canadians and are a desirable element of Canada's natural
diversity; as such, they are a priority requirement of environmental conservation and
sustainable development efforts.
- Wetland conservation is dependent on the incorporation of
environmental objectives into the economic decision-making process, as recommended by the
(Brundtland) World Commission on Environment and Development, the CCREM National Task
Force on Environment and Economy, the Federal-Provincial Agriculture Committee on
Environmental Sustainability, and the Sustaining Wetlands Forum.
- Wetlands and wetland functions are inextricably linked to
their surroundings, particularly aquatic ecosystems, and therefore, wetland conservation
must be pursued in the context of an integrated systems approach to environmental
conservation and sustainable development.
- On-going development and refinement of scientific knowledge
and expertise in Canada is fundamental to the achievement of wetland conservation.
- Wetland conservation can only be achieved through a
coordinated, cooperative approach involving all levels of government and the public,
including landowners, non-government organizations, and the private sector.
- The Federal Government will play a major role in advocating
and achieving wetland conservation, while respecting the jurisdiction of the provinces and
territories and the rights of individual landowners.
- In consultation and cooperation with native institutions
and representatives in Canada, the Federal Government will promote a cooperative approach
to wetland conservation for lands and waters held by the Federal Government for native
peoples.
- A basic change in the attitude and perceptions of Canadians
regarding wetlands, through communication and education programs, is a vital prerequisite
of wetland conservation.
- Canada has a special responsibility to provide leadership
in international wetland conservation efforts, through the management of transboundary
resources such as water and wildlife in North America, encouragement of global wetland
conservation, and active participation in international treaties, conventions and forums.
The Federal Policy on Wetland Conservation outlines seven
strategies to provide for the use and management of wetlands so that they can continue to
provide a broad range of functions on a sustainable basis. These strategies are aimed at
working in concert with other ongoing initiatives for wetland conservation. They are aimed
at providing practical direction, support, and tools to program managers. They set out
direction to put the federal house in order, to manage federal wetlands, and to ensure
effective wetlands science and public awareness actions both nationally and
internationally. All seven strategies are deemed to be critical to the success of the
Policy.
The Federal Government will:
- promote public awareness and understanding of the wetland
resource in Canada and actively encourage participation of the Canadian public, including
-landowners,
-non-government organizations,
-aboriginal governments and institutions,
-and the private sector in wetland conservation.
- Design and deliver a national public awareness program on
wetlands in cooperation with other governments, non-government organizations and the
private sector. This should be targeted at all levels including political.
- Inform Canadians of the health of the wetland resource on a
regular basis through State of the Environment Reporting. Ensure that results of wetland
research are available in formats suitable for public use and education.
- Promote the use of National Parks, National Wildlife Areas,
other federal lands and waters secured for conservation purposes, and a proposed network
of wetlands of significance to Canadians to communicate the values of wetlands.
- Continue to provide information and expertise concerning
sustainable land use management and conservation practices, particularly as they affect
soil, water and wetland conservation and management.
- Provide suitable opportunities for public review and
evaluation of the Federal Government's performance relative to its wetland conservation
goals.
- Promote development of targetted wetland education and
outreach materials.
The Federal Government will
- develop exemplary practices in support of wetland
conservation and sustainable wetland use to be incorporated in the design and
implementation of federal programs and in the management of federal lands and waters.
- Encourage actions to enhance wetland functions on federal
lands and waters through the on-going implementation of all federal programs, especially
in those areas of Canada where the continuing loss or degradation of wetlands has reached
critical levels, or where wetlands are important ecologically or socio-economically to a
region.
- Commit all federal departments to the goal of no net loss
of wetland functions on (i) federal lands and waters,
(ii) in areas affected by the implementation of federal programs where the continuing
loss or degradation of wetlands has reached critical levels, and
(iii) where federal activities affect wetlands designated as ecologically or
socio-economically important to a region. Due to local circumstances where wetland losses
have been severe, in some areas no further loss of any remaining wetland area may be
deemed essential.
- Develop guidelines to ensure the mitigation of the impacts
of Federal Government activities affecting wetland functions, and where appropriate,
develop compensatory measures.
- Promote a cooperative approach to wetland conservation
initiatives for lands and waters held by the Federal Government for native peoples (such
as Indian Reserves and lands and waters transferred to native peoples under comprehensive
land claim settlements) in consultation and cooperation with native institutions and
peoples.
- Pursue opportunities to expand or enhance federal policies,
programs and regulations that have a positive effect on wetland conservation, and improve
those that would otherwise result in wetland conversion or degradation when in the pursuit
of other objectives.
- Demonstrate and clarify links with other federal policy
initiatives including the Federal Water Policy, Federal Policy on Land Use, the Fisheries
and Oceans Canada Policy for the Management of Fish Habitat, the Federal Environmental
Quality Policy Framework, the Arctic Marine Conservation Strategy, and the wetland
conservation objectives of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan that serve to
advance wetland conservation objectives. This may involve agreements and memoranda of
understanding between federal departments or agencies to clarify respective federal roles
and responsibilities with regard to wetland conservation.
- Encourage recognition of wetland functions in natural
resource conservation and development strategies such as those for forests, minerals,
agricultural lands, and water.
- Support protection of critical wetlands of significance to
Canadians by federal or other mechanisms wherever feasible.
- Ensure that the hydrological functions of wetlands, such as
groundwater recharge, water flow regulation and water purification, are adequately
reflected in federal water management activities.
- Encourage the use of watersheds as appropriate spatial
units for implementation of integrated water management policy and programs.
The Federal Government will
- continue to manage the use of National Parks, National
Wildlife Areas, Migratory Bird Sanctuaries, National Capital Commission lands and other
federal areas established for ecosystem conservation purposes so as to sustain their
wetland functions and natural processes.
- Require the creation of management plans which adequately
reflect the special role of the wetland resource on federal lands secured for ecosystem
conservation purposes, and the periodic review and update of these plans. Management of
such wetlands should only support those activities which are compatible with sustaining
wetland functions.
- Commit federal land managers to the goal of no net loss of
wetland functions in all federal areas secured for conservation purposes.
- Protect these wetlands from impacts resulting from land or
water use and environmental quality changes, both internal and external to the federal
area boundaries, by applying the Federal Environmental Assessment and Review Process,
enforcing compliance with federal regulations, by working cooperatively with other levels
of government, non-government organizations and the private sector and, if required, by
intervening in legal or decision-making processes.
- Encourage recreational, scientific, and educational uses of
wetlands as long as these uses are not detrimental to wetland functions and do not
conflict with the purposes of the area.
- Develop and amend, where necessary, new and existing
federal policies and legislation so as to enhance wetland conservation within federal
areas established for ecosystem conservation purposes.
The Federal Government will
- continue to be a partner in cooperative activities and
agreements with the provinces and territories and non-government agencies to advance
wetland conservation.
- Continue to participate in joint federal, provincial and
territorial wetland inventory, evaluation, and monitoring programs in support of: the
identification of geographic areas within which the continuing loss or degradation of
wetlands has reached critical levels; the identification of significant wetlands requiring
protection; and the identification of management strategies for the sustainable use of
wetland resources.
- Encourage and support provincial and territorial policies
that promote wetland conservation, and promote the development of other related
strategies. Encourage recognition of wetlands in the development and implementation of
provincial, territorial and regional conservation strategies.
- Encourage consultation with interested provinces and
territories and other parties whereby senior levels of government ensure that their
wetland conservation policies and programs are supportive of each other.
- Enhance and, where necessary, develop new mechanisms for
the resolution of interjurisdictional wetland problems.
The Federal Government will
- participate in and promote the establishment of a
systematic and coordinated national network of secured wetlands to be achieved in
cooperation with provincial and territorial governments and other stakeholders. Such an
approach will lead to a comprehensive network of secured sites or complexes of exemplary
and strategically important wetlands of significance to Canadians, together representing
the full range of wetland functions and types.
- Establish and assist in maintenance of inventories of
wetlands that have been secured for conservation purposes in each of the 20 wetland
regions of Canada.
- Develop national and regional criteria for identification
and promote listing of wetlands of significance to Canadians in all regions using a
standardized approach primarily on the basis of existing information.
- In those cases where wetlands of significance to Canadians
are found to be unprotected, encourage use of all suitable mechanisms to secure these
wetlands on a priority basis.
- Encourage management of all secured wetlands of
significance to Canadians to promote long-term protection of their wetland functions.
- Promote use of a national network of secured wetlands as
benchmark sites for environmental monitoring, scientific research, education, and public
awareness.
The Federal Government will
- support and promote the development of expertise for a
sound technical and scientific basis for wetland conservation, ensuring that the
information necessary for making decisions regarding wetlands is accessible to planners,
managers, regulators, and other decision-makers at all levels.
- Encourage research that is directed toward advancing
wetland conservation and sustainable use of wetland resources and ensure that the results
of such research are effectively integrated into decision-making.
- Encourage the establishment of wetland centres of research
and expertise in Canadian and foreign educational institutions.
- Support and promote a nationally standardized approach to
consistent and comparable wetland inventories, monitoring, and evaluations to guide the
use, management and conservation of wetlands across Canada and to recognize the full range
of wetland functions.
- Undertake, support and promote the development of
guidelines and standards aimed at establishing regional target levels for the quantity and
quality of wetlands required to safeguard the range of wetland functions across Canada.
Such standards must refer to the level at which wetland loss or degradation threatens the
health of regional ecosystems and species survival.
- Promote the use of wetland benchmark sites for long-term
ecosystem monitoring, scientific research, education, and public awareness.
- Support research and demonstration projects on mitigating
the impacts of inappropriate development on wetlands, and on the restoration and
rehabilitation of degraded wetlands.
- Monitor wetlands trends from national and regional
perspectives so as to establish wetland baselines and statistics, for use in targeting of
conservation efforts in priority areas. Monitor wetland quality in support of the
development and application of standards and guidelines for wetland conservation.
- Encourage the development of techniques for the integration
of wetland functions into natural resource allocation decisions, reflecting the full range
of wetland functions and values in such techniques, and demonstrate the appropriate roles
of wetland conservation in solving land use problems.
- Promote research to better define the role of wetlands in
the hydrologic cycle (groundwater recharge, water purification, flood control, and the
maintenance of flow regimes), and the effects on wetlands of global atmospheric cycles,
shoreline erosion, renewable resource production, management of exotic species such as
purple loosestrife, and the provision of fish and wildlife habitat.
- Promote research on the impact of climate change on
Canada's wetlands, and the implications of such change for federal policies and programs.
- Promote research on wetland restoration, minimum operating
standards, and codes of ethics for peatland resource harvesting and peatland forestry
industries.
The Federal Government will
- promote conservation and sustainable use of wetlands
internationally, and encourage the involvement of other nations and international
organizations in wetland conservation efforts.
- Ensure that Canadian international assistance programs such
as those administered by the Canadian International Development Agency and the
International Development and Research Centre, are based on sustainable development
principles and promote the maintenance and enhancement of wetland functions. Promote
pro-active strategies such as that emphasized in the Canadian International Development
Agency's Environmental Policy.
- Provide technical and advisory assistance to wetland
conservation efforts in other countries, particularly for those wetlands used by wildlife
populations shared with Canada.
- Continue to support and implement Canada's commitments
under international conventions and agreements that contribute to the global conservation
of wetlands and their functions and encourage other nations to become signatories to such
conventions and agreements.
- Strengthen Canada's role in international wetland
conservation, by requiring regular review of Canadian progress on international
conventions with relevance to wetlands, and by identification of gaps or weaknesses in
honouring international commitments and responsibilities.
- Promote wetland conservation through continued strong
commitments to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, the World
Heritage Convention and international agreements and treaties.
- Continue to support and implement bilateral and
multilateral agreements and similar arrangements that promote conservation and sustainable
use of wetlands such as the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, the Great Lakes
Water Quality Agreement, the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserves Network, the
International Biosphere Reserves Program, and new or existing agreements on marine and
estuarine environmental quality, and emerging issues such as biodiversity and climate
change.
- Provide leadership in global wetland conservation through
development and transfer of models, tools, information and expertise to other nations.
- Ensure that Canadian representatives on international
inquiries and commissions have an adequate understanding of wetland issues so as to
promote wetland conservation in their consideration of the implications of transboundary
management issues and opportunities for the sustainable use of wetland resources.
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 on this Web site, 3 June 1998, Dwight
Peck, Ramsar.
