Message from Royal Gardner:

The Ramsar Convention Conference of the Parties (COP) held its ninth meeting in Kampala, Uganda, from November 8-15. This was the first time that the COP was held in Africa. Approximately 120 countries, as well as NGOs, attended the event.

The parties adopted more than 20 resolutions, the final versions of which should be available at www.ramsar.org shortly. Some subjects that may be of interest to you include:

- Criteria related to the designation of wetlands of international importance

The COP adopted a new criterion for Ramsar site designation. A party may designate a site if it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of wetland-dependent, non-avian animals (Resolution 1). The COP also debated what role, if any, the cultural significance of a site should play in the designation decision. Ultimately, the COP declined to specify cultural values as a separate criterion, but did encourage parties to take such values into account if a site otherwise met the ecological criteria (Resolution 22).

The COP also discussed how Ramsar sites should be treated if they no longer satisfy the designation criteria (e.g., the site no longer supports a sufficient percentage of migratory birds). The COP adopted guidance that discussed a party’s obligation to implement appropriate planning to maintain a site’s ecological character and the duty to provide “compensation” (i.e., mitigation) if a site is delisted or its boundaries are reduced (Resolution 7).

- Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP)

The STRP provides guidance to the parties regarding implementation of the Ramsar Convention. It has not always performed this task effectively or efficiently. Accordingly, the COP adopted a new STRP model, which will permit a greater level of involvement by experts in the field (Resolution 12). If you are interested in assisting the STRP, please monitor the Ramsar website (www.ramsar.org) or contact Gilberto Cintron of the USFWS, who serves as the U.S. focal point for STRP activities, at gil_cintron@fws.gov.

- Technical guidance

The COP considered scientific and technical guidance for implementing the Ramsar wise use concept. Resolution 1 contains several annexes that provide information relating to the maintenance of wetland ecological character, river basin management, and groundwater management, as well as guidelines for the rapid assessment of inland, coastal, and marine wetland biodiversity.

The COP also provided many opportunities to network and exchange ideas. Many people expressed interest in the results of the Ramsar benefits survey that we are conducting. (Note: we have received responses from slightly more than half the U.S. sites; I’ll be following up with the others this week and next.) Others expressed interest with having more regular communications with managers of U.S. Ramsar sites. I will provide more information about these opportunities for international linkages in a future email.

If you’d like additional details about COP9, please contact me or visit www.ramsar.org. South Korea was selected to be the site for COP10, which will be held in 2008.

Best regards,

Royal C. Gardner
Chair, USNRC
Gardner@law.stetson.edu

Update from Cheyenne Bottoms: It's Dry

According to a November 13th article on the JLWorld.com website, migrating birds are bypassing the wetlands of Cheyenne Bottoms this year. Refuge manager Karl Grover said the lowland area northeast of Great Bend isn’t living up to its wetlands classification. It’s completely dry. “The rains would just bypass us,” Grover said. “And when we would get an inch or two of rains, it would soak up.”
For the full article Click here.