The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
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"Wetlands: water, life, and culture"
8th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties
to the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971)
Valencia, Spain, 18-26 November 2002
Ramsar COP8 - DR 16
Draft Resolution
Principles and guidelines for wetland restoration
1. RECALLING Recommendation
4.1 in which the Conference of the Contracting Parties encouraged wetland
restoration by all Parties; and FURTHER RECALLING Recommendation 6.15, which
requested the Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP) to define principles
and guidelines for restoration and urged the Contracting Parties to give higher
priority to wetland restoration;
2. RECALLING ALSO Resolution
VII.17 in which the Parties requested further development of guidelines and
tools that could be used to advance wetland restoration;
3. FURTHER RECALLING that
Resolution VII.20 in which the Contracting Parties resolved to complete
comprehensive national wetland inventories of their wetland resources,
including, where possible, wetlands with potential for restoration;
4. EXPRESSING GRATITUDE to
the Expert Working Group of the STRP for its work in establishing a wetland
restoration Web site, as part of the Ramsar Convention Web site, which includes
restoration case studies, and for the contribution to this made by the Society
of Wetland Scientists and the Greek Biotope/Wetland Centre (EKBY);
5. REITERATING the view
expressed in Recommendation 4.1 and further emphasized in Resolution VII.17
that programmes of wetland restoration that are ecologically, economically, and
socially feasible and that are coordinated with wetland protection provide
substantial benefits for both people and wildlife, even though restoration of
wetlands cannot replace lost natural wetlands;
6. NOTING that Canada has
prepared national guidance for the mitigation of lost wetlands, in support of
Resolution VII.24;
7. RECOGNIZING the relevance
of principles and guidelines for wetland restoration to the provision of
compensation under Article 4.2 of the Convention [and the guidelines for such
provision of compensation adopted by this meeting of the Conference of the
Contracting Parties through Resolution VIII.xx]; and
8. [RECOGNIZING ALSO that,
through a number of Resolutions, this meeting of the Conference of the
Contracting Parties has adopted new guidance for the Contracting Parties on
wetland management planning (Resolution VIII.xx), and guidance on a framework
for wetland inventory (Resolution VIII.xx), impact assessment (Resolution
VIII.xx), global action for peatlands (Resolution VIII.xx), climate change and
wetlands (Resolution VII.xx), and the maintenance of ecological character of
wetlands (Resolution VIII.xx), all of which contribute to the implementation of
the restoration of wetlands;]
THE CONFERENCE OF THE
CONTRACTING PARTIES
9. ADOPTS the Principles and guidelines for wetland
restoration as annexed to this Resolution;
10. CALLS UPON all
Contracting Parties to recognize in this regard that the restoration or
creation of wetlands cannot replace the loss of natural wetlands;
11. URGES all Contracting
Parties to integrate fully the Principles
and guidelines for wetland restoration into their National Wetland Policies
and plans, paying particular attention to issues of legislation, impact
assessment, incentive measures, and the mitigation of impacts of climate change
and sea-level rise;
12. CALLS UPON Contracting
Parties to utilize these principles and guidelines in undertaking national
inventories of wetlands with the potential for restoration, [applying the
Framework for Wetland Inventory adopted by this Conference (Resolution
VIII.xx)], and to develop programmes to implement restoration on sites so
identified, and to report their progress on these matters in their triennial
National Reports to the COP;
13. URGES Contracting Parties
to pay particular attention to the restoration of peatlands, [in line with the
priority afforded to the wise use of this wetland type through the adoption by
this meeting of the Guidelines for Global
Action on Peatlands (Resolution VIII.xx)];
14. FURTHER URGES all
Contracting Parties to pay particular attention to the role of wetland
restoration in management at the catchment and river basin level in relation to
the allocation and management of water for maintaining ecological functions
[Resolution VIII.xx),] integrating the conservation and wise use of wetlands
into river basin management (Resolution VII.18), and transboundary action
(Resolution VII.19);
15. CALLS UPON all
Contracting Parties to apply the Principles
and guidelines for wetland restoration when considering the provision of
compensation under Article 4.2 of the Convention [and using the guidelines for
such provision of compensation adopted by this meeting through Resolution
VIII.xx];
16. ENCOURAGES Contracting
Parties to disseminate the attached principles and guidelines to community
stakeholders who have an interest in wetland restoration; and to involve local
communities and indigenous peoples in restoring and maintaining wetlands, in
line with the guidance in Resolution VII.8 concerning establishing and
strengthening local communities' and indigenous peoples' participation in the
management of wetlands;
17. CALLS UPON all
Contracting Parties, when implementing the Principles
and guidelines for wetland restoration, to ensure that the cultural and
archaeological heritage significance of wetlands being considered for
restoration is fully recognized so as to ensure that this significance is
maintained, [taking into account the Guiding
principles for identifying the cultural aspects of wetlands, adopted by
this meeting (Resolution VIII.xx)];
18. ENCOURAGES Contracting
Parties to utilize the information and resources of Ramsar's restoration Web
site, which includes illustrated case studies, a guide to restoration
terminology, searchable bibliographies, links to Web-based restoration tools,
and papers dealing with restoration incentives, socioeconomic aspects of
restoration, and restoration site selection, in their implementation of wetland
restoration projects, and FURTHER ENCOURAGES Contracting Parties and other
bodies with relevant information to contribute information on their wetland
restoration projects and experience to the Web site so as to increase the wide
availability of such information, and particularly to provide demonstration
projects that illustrate the application of the principles and guidelines adopted
by this Resolution;
19. REQUESTS Contracting
Parties, as part of their national training needs assessments, to identify
their training needs in wetland restoration, and FURTHER REQUESTS the Ramsar
Bureau, in collaboration with the Scientific and Technical Review Panel,
Wetlands International and others, to identify training opportunities and
expertise in wetland restoration and to create relevant training modules as
part of the Ramsar Wetland Training Initiative; and
20. REQUESTS the Scientific
and Technical Review Panel to further develop tools and guidance on wetland
restoration, including a glossary of wetland restoration terminology and
guidance on small dams and wetland restoration; and FURTHER REQUESTS the Panel,
with the assistance of the Government of Canada and other interested Parties,
to prepare guidance on wetland mitigation in response to Resolution VII.24 and
to report on these matters to COP9.
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Annex
Principles and guidelines for wetland restoration
Introduction
1. The need to reverse
wetland degradation, in addition to the recognition of benefits associated with
wetland restoration, has led to initiation of numerous restoration projects
globally. Although there is increasing interest in wetland restoration and
opportunities are widespread, efforts to restore wetlands are still sporadic,
and there is a lack of general planning at the national level. Individuals and
organizations interested in restoration often work in isolation and without the
benefit of experience gained on other projects.
2. Recognizing the importance
of past experience in wetland restoration and the increasing interest in
restoration among Contracting Parties, Recommendation 6.15 of the Ramsar
Convention urged "the Scientific and Technical Review Panel [STRP], in
collaboration with the Bureau and concerned Contracting Parties and partners,
to define guidelines on principles for wetland restoration". The STRP was
tasked with further developing these tools and guidelines by Resolution VII.17
concerning Restoration as an element of
national planning for wetland conservation and wise use.
3. Further guidance on tools
and methods, including case studies, for wetland restoration, have been
developed by the Scientific and Technical Review Panel and are available on the
restoration pages of the Ramsar Web site at http://ramsar.org/strp_rest_index.htm.
4. General principles and
guidelines based upon experience with many projects in many settings can offer
a useful starting point for restoration projects. The principles presented here
provide the underlying ideas that form the foundation of a successful
restoration project, and as such they should be integrated into national
wetland policy (see also Ramsar's Guidelines
for developing and implementing National Wetland Policies (Resolution
VII.6).
5. The guidelines presented
here provide a step-by-step process guiding the identification, development and
implementation of a restoration project, and as such they can be integrated
into administrative guidelines.
6. However, every restoration
project is unique, and whilst these principles and guidelines are designed to
be useful in many situations, they are neither universally applicable nor
definitive.
Principles
7. A national programme and
priorities for wetland restoration should be established, based on a national
inventory of wetlands with potential for restoration, as a component of the
national wetland policy, plan or strategy, so as to maximise the benefit to the
overall conservation status and wise use of wetlands of the efforts and
resources applied to wetland restoration.
8. A clear understanding and
statement of goals, objectives, and performance standards for wetland
restoration projects is a critical part of restoration success (see the text
box and Guidelines, below). In keeping with the Annex to Ramsar Resolution
VII.17 on restoration as an element of national planning for wetland
conservation and wise use, goals and objectives should recognize that wetlands
perform multiple functions: "Multiple purposes such as conservation of
biodiversity, provision of reliable food resources, fresh water supply,
purification, flood control and recreation may often increase the
sustainability and total benefits of a restoration project."
9. Careful planning will
limit the possibility of undesirable side effects. For example, careful
planning can allow restoration projects to avoid problems such as increased
numbers of mosquitoes, unwanted flooding, or saltwater intrusion into sources
of drinking water. To assist in planning, an assessment should be made of the
features of the site under consideration, and the factors that may affect its
feasibility and success (see Box 2 for issues to consider).
10. Natural processes and
existing conditions should be considered during project selection, design, and
development.
11. Recommendation 4.1 of the
Ramsar Convention rightly notes that "the maintenance and conservation of
existing wetlands is always preferable and more economical than their
subsequent restoration" and "restoration schemes must not weaken
efforts to conserve existing natural systems". Both quantitative data and
subjective assessments clearly show that currently available restoration techniques
almost never lead to conditions that match those of pristine natural
ecosystems. As a corollary to this, trading high-quality habitat or ecosystems
for promises of restoration should be avoided except in the case of overriding
national interests. However, restoration of individual sites can contribute to
ongoing management of existing high quality wetlands by, for example, improving
overall catchment condition and contributing to improved water allocation
management.
12. Whenever possible, the
minimum acceptable scale for wetland restoration planning should be at the
catchment level. Individual, relatively small restoration projects targeting a
single wetland can be valuable provided that they are planned within the
context of the catchment. Wetland restoration planning should not ignore the
value of upland habitats and linkages between upland and wetland habitats.
13. Wetland restoration
planning should consider water allocation principles and the role that
restoration can play in maintaining ecological functions of wetlands [see
Ramsar Guidelines for the allocation and
management of water for maintaining the ecological functions of wetlands,
as adopted by COP8 (Resolution VIII.xx)].
14. Wetland restoration
should be an open process that involves local community stakeholders as well as
stakeholders who will be affected by a project even though they may be
geographically distant from the project, for example, stakeholders living well
downstream. All stakeholders, including local communities and indigenous people
and sectoral interests both in situ
and ex situ, should be fully involved
in a wetland restoration project from its earliest stage of consideration
through its implementation to its long-term stewardship.
15. Restoration requires
long-term stewardship, including ongoing management and monitoring (see A framework for designing an effective
wetland monitoring programme, annex to Resolution VI.1). Successful
restoration should be designed, as far as possible, for self-maintenance, but
it also generally requires a constituency that understands the need for
long-term stewardship, the resources required to support this stewardship, and
a commitment to delivering this stewardship. Development of incentive measures
can make a valuable contribution to the long-term success of a restoration
project (see Resolution VII.15, Incentive
measures to encourage the application of the wise use principle).
16. The principles of
adaptable management [see the New
Guidelines for management planning for Ramsar sites and other wetlands,
adopted by Resolution VIII.xx] should be applied to restoration projects. As a
project develops, modifications may be necessary to accommodate unforeseen
developments and take advantage of newly acquired knowledge or resources. Any
modifications should be designed in the light of evaluation of the project
against its established goals, objectives, and performance standards.
17. Successful restoration
projects can provide inspiration and stimulus for continuing stakeholder
involvement and for the development of further projects and programmes.
Information on proposals for, and the results and successes of, a restoration
project should be widely disseminated both in scientific and technical fora and
as popular information accessible to stakeholders.
Guidelines
18. The flowcharts
accompanying this text lay out guidelines for wetland restoration projects. The
following points explain the flowcharts.
19. Project goals, objectives, and performance standards (Box 1 in
Flowchart 1): Many wetland restoration projects suffer from poorly stated (or
unstated) goals and objectives. Without clearly stated goals and objectives,
projects lack direction. By attaching performance standards to each project
objective, stakeholders are forced to consider closely their goals and
objectives, and often the development of performance standards leads to
revision of goals and objectives. An example of a goal for a project might be
to increase the quality of wildlife habitat. An associated objective might be
to improve habitat value for certain species, such as migratory waterfowl.
Performance standards associated with this objective could specify the number
of breeding pairs of several key species that are expected to use the site
after restoration has been completed.
20. As a rule, a monitoring
method that can be used to assess performance standards should be identified as
part of the planning process, recognizing that different monitoring methods may
not result in consistent measures. For example, a performance standard might
require maintenance of 70% cover by a particular plant species, but different
methods of estimating percentage of cover will yield different values for the
same site. Project goals, objectives, performance standards, and monitoring
methods should be written down, widely distributed, and frequently revisited to
keep projects on track.
Box 1 - Goals, Objectives, and Performance Standards
Goals are
general statements about desired project outcomes - stating goals allows all
stakeholders to understand, in general terms, the desired direction of a
project. Projects may have more than one goal, reflecting the multiple
functions that individual wetlands perform.
Objectives are
specific statements about desired project outcomes - projects typically have
more than one objective, reflecting the multiple functions that individual
wetlands perform.
Performance standards
(sometimes called success criteria)
are observable or measurable attributes that can be used to determine if a
project meets its intended multiple objectives - each objective will have one
or more associated performance standards.
21. Site selection (Box 2 in Flowchart 1): In many cases, restoration
projects begin in response to conditions on a particular site, and thus the
site is specified at the project's outset. However, some projects begin without
a site. In these cases, several sites might be assessed before a final project
site is identified. A proposed procedure for identification of potential
restoration projects can be divided into three phases:
21.1 Phase 1 aims to identify
the spatial need for restoration of wetland functions and to set environmental
constraints for restoration in each case.
21.2 Phase 2 is more site
specific, and evaluates the sustainability of the potential restoration
projects through a synthesis of the environmental constraints derived from
phase 1 and the socio-economic characteristics and other particularities of the
catchment.
21.3 Phase 3 is the final
outcome, whereby the evaluation of the previous two phases permits
identification and prioritization of potentially sustainable restoration
projects. This final phase stems from the need to make sound decisions on
wetland resource management and leads to successful, cost-effective projects
with broad public acceptance.
22. Flowchart 2 and the
following paragraphs elaborate on the process of site selection:
22.1 Spatial analysis of
catchments should help both to identify areas where there is a need for
restoration of wetland functions and to rank the relative need for restoration
in different catchments (Box {a} in Flowchart 2). For example, establishment of
a wetland for the purpose of water quality improvement in a catchment with
intense agricultural development would be far more critical than would be the
case in a neighboring catchment with no apparent nutrient runoff problems.
22.2 To contribute to spatial
analysis of catchments, it is necessary to locate target areas for restoration
through an inventory of lost and degraded wetlands and evaluation of functions
(Box {b} in Flowchart 2).
22.3 Spatial analysis of
catchments requires assessment of wetland functions at the catchment level (Box
{c} of Flowchart 3). This defines the status of wetland functions and sets
priorities for actions required to sustain both existing ecosystems and uses.
The functional evaluation should locate wetlands with the most severe
degradation problems, identify those functions that should be restored at the
catchment level, and set the general provisions for restoration.
22.4 After locating wetlands
where restoration projects should be implemented, site-specific constraints
should be recorded and evaluated in order to identify potential wetland
restoration projects and set priorities for restoration (Box {d} of Flowchart
2). These should be identified at the catchment level and include ecological,
scientific, technical, social, and economic parameters.
22.5 Site-specific
constraints include the availability of natural resources, such as availability
of water, landscape morphology, substrate characteristics, and presence of
flora and fauna (Box {e} of Flowchart 2). For restoration of a wetland, there
are several ecological constraints derived from climate, geomorphology, and
various other characteristics of the catchment.
22.6 In terms of
socioeconomic factors, higher priority should be given to implementation of
restoration projects that have public acceptance and active stakeholder
involvement, that contribute to sustainable development, and that have some
assurance of availability of the resources needed for realization (Box {f} of
Flowchart 2).
22.7 A final decision (Box
{g} of Flowchart 2) should be based on assessment of issues listed in Box 2 and
which include consideration of:
a) spatial needs for the
establishment of specific wetland functions;
b) the impacts of local
decisions within a regional context;
c) the preservation, or
rehabilitation if needed, of the soil and water resources of the catchment;
d) a plan for long-term
change and unexpected events;
e) preservation of rare
landscape elements, habitats, and associated species;
f) avoidance of or
compensation for the effects of development on wetland functions; and
g) the presence of land-use
and management practices compatible with the natural potential of the wetland.
Box 2. Issues to address in the assessment of the usefulness and
feasibility of wetland restoration projects
Assessments for the selection
of appropriate wetland restoration projects should include the following
questions (adapted from the Annex to Resolution VII.17):
a. Will there be
environmental benefits (for example, improved water quantity and quality,
reduced eutrophication, preservation of freshwater resources, biodiversity
conservation, improved management of "wet resources", flood control)?
b. What is the cost
effectiveness of the proposed project? Investments and changes should in the
longer term be sustainable, not yielding only temporary results. Aim for low
costs in the construction phase and low or nil running costs for future
maintenance.
c. What options, advantages
or disadvantages will the restored area provide for local people and the
region? These may include health conditions, essential food and water
resources, increased possibilities for recreation and ecotourism, improved
scenic values, educational opportunities, conservation of cultural heritage
(historic or religious sites), etc.
d. What is the ecological
potential of the project? What is the present status of the area in terms of
habitats and biological values, and in particular will any current features of
wetland conservation or biodiversity importance be lost or damaged? How is the
area expected to develop with respect to hydrology, geomorphology, water
quality, plant and animal communities, etc.
e. What is the status of the
area in terms of present land use. The situation will differ widely between
developed countries, countries with economies in transition, and developing
countries, and within such countries depending on local circumstances, with
respect to the objectives of restoration and rehabilitation. In particular,
marginal lands yielding few benefits in the present situation can often be
improved.
f. What are the main
socio-economic constraints? Is there a positive regional and local interest in
realising the project.
g. What are the main
technical constraints?
23. Site compatibility with
goals, objectives, and performance standards: Once a site has been
identified, project goals, objectives, and performance standards should be
revisited to ascertain compatibility (Box 3 in Flowchart 1).
24. Project design (Box 4 in Flowchart 1): Because there is almost
always more than one way to work toward project objectives, it is useful to
consider alternative plans in the early stages of project design. Comparisons
should consider rough cost estimates, likelihood of each plan to achieve
project objectives, and the viewpoints of all stakeholders. One of these plans
should be selected and developed into a detailed design plan that can be used
to guide construction activities. Restoration plans should include training
programmes to ensure that construction activities are undertaken in an
appropriate manner. Consideration should be given to first developing and
implementing a pilot project to test and refine the restoration methods.
25. Monitoring and meeting performance standards (Box 5 in Flowchart
1): Monitoring should focus on performance standards that are linked to project
objectives. Effective monitoring programs should consider that all ecosystems
undergo constant change and development and should account for both temporal
and spatial variability.
26. When performance standards are not met (Boxes 6 and 7 in Flowchart
1): If performance standards are not met, careful reconsideration of the
project is necessary. It may be that original goals, objectives, and
performance standards are not feasible, in which case they should be
reconsidered. If original goals, objectives, and performance standards are
still considered feasible, remedial action should be taken. Remedial action could
range from a few simple modifications to existing plans to a complete redesign
of the project.
27. Often, restoration
projects break new ground in the understanding of ecosystem processes, and in
almost all cases restoration projects should be considered experimental in
nature. Therefore, both revision of original goals, objectives, and performance
standards and remedial action should be seen as a necessary part of the
restoration process rather than as signs of failure.
28. Successful projects (Box 8 in Flowchart 1): If performance
standards are satisfied, the project can be considered successful. However,
ongoing stewardship and monitoring will be necessary to maintain this success.
Flowchart 1. Guidelines for
wetland restoration [PDF]
Numbers correspond to numbers in parentheses in the text.
Flowchart 2. Process for
identification of potential wetland restoration projects [PDF]
Letters correspond to explanations in the text.
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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). Postedυ24 May 2002, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.