Categories Summit: the view from Ramsar

154 Contracting Parties to the Convention, with 1669 wetland sites, totalling 151 million hectares,

1994…..

CBD still some months away from holding its first meeting..

No CBD SBSTTA Ramsar just met in Kushiro,

1996 next meeting 2 years from Rio, 8 from Johannesburg,

9 from Durban And yet….

Ramsar sites…

To develop and maintain an international network of wetlands which are important for the conservation of global biological diversity and for sustaining human life through the maintenance of their ecosystem components, processes and benefits/services.

Ramsar Sites….

Designating a wetland for the Ramsar List does not in itself require the site previously to have been declared a protected area. In fact, listing under the Ramsar Convention, especially in the case of sites subject to intensive use by human communities - either to extract resources or to benefit from the natural functions of the wetland - can provide the necessary protection to ensure its long-term sustainability.

In 2005

“The Conference of the Contracting Parties … AGREES to include as extra data fields in the approved Ramsar Information Sheet for the designation of Wetlands of International Importance from COP9 onwards the following:

Protected area categories, if any, for the site, as established by each Contracting Party, and/or IUCN categories (1994), if appropriate, and any other relevant designations; “

A question of definition

The Skukuza question: “An area of land, inland waters and/or sea especially

dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity and requisite ecological processes, ecosystem services, and of natural and associated cultural resources, and managed through legal or other effective means."

A question of definition - idea

“An area of land or water dedicated to the maintenance of biological and cultural diversity, and continued delivery of ecosystem services, which may be managed through legal or other effective means, and which is linked effectively to supporting elements of surrounding ecosystems.."

An example

Uganda : Lake George IUCN Cat:II and IV Area : 15000 ha. Location: S0°02' - NO°16', E30°01' -

E30°03' Biosphere Reserve A permanent swamp situated just North of the Equator in

western Uganda. It is composed of a wide range of ecosystems: semi-deciduous tropical high forests, undulating savanna grasslands, Acacia savanna, tundra, wetlands, tropical dry or deciduous forests, and swamps, marshes, woodlands, salt lakes with salt extraction areas, agro ecosystems and pasture land.

An example

Australia: Hosnie’s spring IUCN Cat: II Area: App 0.33 ha Location: 100 28'30"S, 1050 41'E Hosnie's Spring, the world's smallest Ramsar Site, is an example of a

highly unusual wetland type that is unique to the world. The site encompasses a distinctive stand of mangroves of the genus Bruguiera.

An example

CUBA: Cienaga de Zapata IUCN Cat : II and VI Area : 452,000 hectares Location: 22° 01’ 12” North,

80° 35’ 17” East Entirely Biosphere Reserve Ciénaga de Zapata is one of the largest and best

preserved wetlands in the Caribbean Islands, with the largest area of swamps and tidal pools in Cuba and large areas of forest.

An example

China (Hongkong): Mai Po Marshes and inner Deep Bay IUCN Cat IV Area: about 1,540 (updated from 1995 figure). Location : 022o29’20.194” N 114o01’44.023” E A shallow bay with extensive intertidal mudflats backed by

mangal, tidal shrimp ponds (gei wais), fishponds, and reedbed in some gei wais and along the coast. The site serves as an important over-wintering site to the waterbirds of the East Asian and Australasian Shorebird Flyway and accommodates a wide variety of flora and fauna.

An example

IRAN: Lake Parishan and Dashte-Arjan IUCN Cat V Area: 2,200 ha (Arjan); 4,000 ha (Parishan) Location :

approx. 29°30’N 52°00’E A largely seasonal freshwater lake and marsh at

2,000 m elevation in the Zagros mountains (Dasht-e- Arjan), and a permanent brackish to saline lake at 853 m elevation in the Zagros foothills (Lake Parishan).

An example

Tanzania : Lake Natron Basin IUCN Cate VI Location : 2°21’ S 36°00 E’ Area : 224,781ha Lake Natron is a soda lake of variable extent situated

in the bottom of the Rift Valley basin (Gregory Rift) and surrounded by Rift Valley escarpments and volcanic mountains whereof the mountain of Oldonyo Lengai in the south is still active. In the lake margins springs and a few perennial streams are a source of freshwater for Maasai, cattle, wildlife and flamingos that co-exists in this huge lake basin.