The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands - Caddo Lake Institute · The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands...

The Ramsar ConventionThe Ramsar Conventionon Wetlandson Wetlands

Assessment of International Assessment of International

Designations within the United StatesDesignations within the United States

Royal C. GardnerRoyal C. Gardner

Stetson University College of LawStetson University College of Law

Kim Diana ConnollyKim Diana Connolly

2007 U.S. Ramsar Site Managers Meeting

Kim Diana ConnollyKim Diana Connolly

University of South Carolina School of LawUniversity of South Carolina School of Law

Ramsar Convention on Ramsar Convention on WetlandsWetlands

•• Signed in Ramsar, Iran in 1971Signed in Ramsar, Iran in 1971

•• Entered into Force in 1975Entered into Force in 1975

What Ramsar Does/Does Not DoWhat Ramsar Does/Does Not Do

Ramsar Does:Ramsar Does:

•• Encourage nations to Encourage nations to promote wetlands promote wetlands conservation and list conservation and list wetlands of international wetlands of international

Ramsar Does Ramsar Does NotNot::

•• Impose restrictions on Impose restrictions on nations and landownersnations and landowners

•• Affect sovereignty rights Affect sovereignty rights wetlands of international wetlands of international importance as Ramsar importance as Ramsar sitessites

•• Provide wise use Provide wise use guidelines, training guidelines, training opportunities, and access opportunities, and access to financial resourcesto financial resources

•• Affect sovereignty rights Affect sovereignty rights –– site listing is voluntarysite listing is voluntary

•• Act as a regulating entity Act as a regulating entity or a UN conventionor a UN convention

•• Site Contains Representative, Rare, or Site Contains Representative, Rare, or Unique Wetland TypesUnique Wetland Types

•• Site Supports Vulnerable, Endangered, or Site Supports Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered SpeciesCritically Endangered Species

Wetlands of International ImportanceWetlands of International Importance

•• Site Supports Plant/Animal Populations Site Supports Plant/Animal Populations Important for Regional BiodiversityImportant for Regional Biodiversity

•• Site Supports Plant/Animal Species at a Critical Site Supports Plant/Animal Species at a Critical Stage in Life CyclesStage in Life Cycles

•• Site Regularly Supports 20,000 or More Site Regularly Supports 20,000 or More WaterbirdsWaterbirds

•• Site Regularly Supports 1% of Population of Site Regularly Supports 1% of Population of Waterbird Species/SubspeciesWaterbird Species/Subspecies

•• Site Supports Significant Site Supports Significant Proportion of Indigenous Fish Species That AreProportion of Indigenous Fish Species That Are

Wetlands of International ImportanceWetlands of International Importance

Proportion of Indigenous Fish Species That AreProportion of Indigenous Fish Species That AreRepresentative of Wetland Benefits/ValuesRepresentative of Wetland Benefits/Values

•• Site Is an Important Source of Food for Fish, Site Is an Important Source of Food for Fish, Spawning Ground, Nursery and/or Migration PathSpawning Ground, Nursery and/or Migration Path

•• Site Regularly Supports 1% of Population of Site Regularly Supports 1% of Population of Species/Subspecies of WetlandSpecies/Subspecies of Wetland--Dependent, NonDependent, Non--Avian Animal SpeciesAvian Animal Species

Ramsar WorldwideRamsar Worldwide

•• 157 parties, 157 parties, including the U.S.including the U.S.

•• Ninth COP in Ninth COP in Uganda in 2005; Uganda in 2005; Tenth COP in ROK Tenth COP in ROK Tenth COP in ROK Tenth COP in ROK in 2008 in 2008

•• More than 1650 More than 1650 sites designated sites designated covering over 350 covering over 350 million acres million acres ––22 in U.S. with over 22 in U.S. with over 3 million acres3 million acres

U.S. National Ramsar CommitteeU.S. National Ramsar Committee

•• MissionMission: Support the goals and objectives of : Support the goals and objectives of the Ramsar Convention within the U.S. and the Ramsar Convention within the U.S. and internationallyinternationally

•••• MembersMembers: NGOs that have an interest in : NGOs that have an interest in Ramsar issuesRamsar issues

•• ObserversObservers: Representatives of U.S. agencies : Representatives of U.S. agencies (FWS, State, EPA, Forest Service, NOAA) (FWS, State, EPA, Forest Service, NOAA)

•• www.ramsarcommittee.uswww.ramsarcommittee.us

Survey of U.S. Ramsar SitesSurvey of U.S. Ramsar Sites

•• Site Identification with RamsarSite Identification with Ramsar

•• Benefits of Ramsar DesignationBenefits of Ramsar Designation

•• Recommendations to Strengthen Recommendations to Strengthen •• Recommendations to Strengthen Recommendations to Strengthen Ramsar in the United StatesRamsar in the United States

Site Identification with RamsarSite Identification with Ramsar

•• Signs, Certificates, Plaques, Wall PanelsSigns, Certificates, Plaques, Wall Panels

•• BrochuresBrochures

•• WebsitesWebsites•• WebsitesWebsites

Site Identification with RamsarSite Identification with Ramsar

•• Highway SignageHighway Signage

•• Press ReleasesPress Releases•• Press ReleasesPress Releases

•• Ramsar Logo on Ramsar Logo on Publications and Publications and LetterheadLetterhead

Benefits of Ramsar DesignationBenefits of Ramsar Designation

•• Increase Pride in SiteIncrease Pride in Site

•• Increase Local Awareness of Importance Increase Local Awareness of Importance of Siteof Siteof Siteof Site

Benefits of Ramsar DesignationBenefits of Ramsar Designation

•• Increased Funding Increased Funding OpportunitiesOpportunities

–– NAWCA GrantsNAWCA Grants–– NAWCA GrantsNAWCA Grants

–– Land and Water Land and Water Conservation FundConservation Fund

–– NFWF and Other NFWF and Other GrantsGrants

Benefits of Ramsar DesignationBenefits of Ramsar Designation

•• Support for Protection of Site Support for Protection of Site and Surrounding Areasand Surrounding Areas

–– Acquisition of Surrounding LandsAcquisition of Surrounding Lands–– Acquisition of Surrounding LandsAcquisition of Surrounding Lands

–– Encourages Watershed Conservation Encourages Watershed Conservation PartnershipsPartnerships

–– Invocation of Status in Response to Proposed Invocation of Status in Response to Proposed DevelopmentDevelopment

Benefits of Ramsar DesignationBenefits of Ramsar Designation

•• Increased Scientific Studies and Tourism Increased Scientific Studies and Tourism ActivityActivity

–– Izembek (eel grass studies)Izembek (eel grass studies)–– Izembek (eel grass studies)Izembek (eel grass studies)

–– Caddo Lake Caddo Lake (environmental flows (environmental flows studies)studies)

–– Catahoula Lake Catahoula Lake (vegetation and lakebed elevation studies)(vegetation and lakebed elevation studies)

RecommendationsRecommendations

•• Continue engagement at international Continue engagement at international levellevel

•• Promote the Ramsar designationPromote the Ramsar designation

•• Preferences for grants and restoration Preferences for grants and restoration work within U.S. Ramsar siteswork within U.S. Ramsar sites

•• Celebrate and support World Wetlands Celebrate and support World Wetlands DayDay

Thank you for your attention.Thank you for your attention.

Royal C. GardnerRoyal C. Gardner

Stetson University College of LawStetson University College of Law

gardner@law.stetson.edugardner@law.stetson.edu

Kim Diana ConnollyKim Diana Connolly

University of South Carolina School of LawUniversity of South Carolina School of Law

conolly@law.sc.educonolly@law.sc.edu