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Association of State
Wetland Managers


International Affairs, Office of U.S Fish & Wildlife Service

U.S. National Ramsar Committee

News from The Australasian Wader Studies Group
2005 Yellow Sea Shorebird Counts Are In

In conjunction with Wetlands International – China, The Australasian Wader Studies Group has just completed the ninth year of training, surveying and shorebird counting activities in the Chinese part of the Yellow Sea during northward migration. This year new areas were surveyed in southern Jiangsu and Liaoning Provinces and training and counting activities took place at Yalu Jiang National Nature Reserve. Click here [from Mark Barter]

News from North American Waterfowl Management Plan
Continent Wide Assessment of Plan's Goals and Accomplishments Outlined in a Fact Sheet (PDF format) Details are offered on how this will be accomplished. [PDF format) Click here [from Dee Butler]

News From The Society of Wetland Scientists
Kenneth W. Cox Student Travel Award Established [Canada]

At least one student at a Canadian university or college or a young professional working in Canada, age 27 or under, will be awarded CA$500 to attend the Annual Meeting of the Society. This award will also include a one-year membership in the Canadian Chapter of the Society of Wetland Scientists. Applications will be received up to April 15 each year. Contact Clay Rubec for more information: clay.rubec@ec.gc.ca [News from WetKit]

Ramsar News:

- Sudan joins Ramsar and its first Ramsar site is Dinder National Park (DNP).
- Madagascar announces designation of its 5th Wetland of International Importance - the Parc de Tsarasaotra.

For more Ramsar news click here

China Raises Bird Death Toll

27 May 2005, BBC News, UK Edition - More than 1,000 migratory birds have died from avian flu in Qinghai province, western China, according to the country's agriculture ministry. The measures include banning people from habitats of migratory birds, immunising poultry raised near habitats and routes of migratory birds, and introducing quarantine measures in Qinghai. The virus has killed at least 53 people in South East Asia since late 2003 but no one in China... Click here

Police Attack Dam–Affected People in Brazil

25 May 2005, International Rivers Network - Police attempted today to evict protesters from Brazil’s Dam–Affected Movement (MAB) who were camped at the entrance to Cana Brava Dam on the Tocantins River, in Goiás state. About 350 families set up a camp on May 23 at the Cana Brava site, demanding negotiations with dam–owner Tractebel, in an attempt to gain adequate compensation and resettlement for those affected by the project. MAB says that few of the nearly 1,000 families who have lost resources to the project have received any compensation from the company... Click here

Chile Environmental Body Cuts Valdivia Plant Output

25 May 2005, Reuters, Santiago, Chile - a 20 percent reduction in output at the Valdivia wood pulp plant, part of industrial conglomerate Empresa Copec's forestry unit was required because its waste water contributed to damaging a wetland... Click here

Saving the Pilcomayo River

24 May 2005, Inter Press News Service Agency, (Tierramérica), José Luis Alcázar, Tarija, Bolivia - Work is under way on a plan to prevent the total collapse of the contaminated and clogged Pilcomayo River watershed system, which extends across 270,000 square km of Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay... Click here

China Rushes in Bird Flu Vaccine

23 May 2005, BBC News - China has sent three million doses of bird flu vaccine to western Qinghai province after migrating wild geese were found there killed by the virus. Poultry across the remote province had become the "target of a compulsory vaccination campaign", the state-run China Daily newspaper reported... Click here

Earth's Species Feel the Squeeze

21 May 2005, BBC News, UK Edition, by Jonathan Amos - If we continue with current rates of species extinction, we will have no chance of rolling back poverty and the lives of all humans will be diminished. That is the stark warning to come out of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA), the most comprehensive audit of the health of our planet to date. Organisms are disappearing at something like 100 to 1,000 times the "background levels" seen in the fossil record... Click here

Environmental Groups Warn Over New Dam [Sudan]

19 May 2005, Mail & Guardian Online, Nairobi - The Merowe/Hamadab dam being built on the River Nile in northern Sudan could cause serious environmental problems, two environmental advocacy groups said. According to the report, the dam was likely to cause "sedimentation of the reservoir due to massive erosion, evaporation from the reservoir and infestation of the reservoir by water hyacinths. It could also lead to massive daily fluctuations of the water level downstream of the dam, with corresponding impacts on downstream agriculture and the spread of waterborne diseases"... Click here

Migratory Birds Welcomed Back North With Conservation Grants [USA]

17 May 2005, Environment News Service - Washington, DC - Plovers, terns, hawks, cranes, warblers and sparrows - more than 340 species of birds breed in the United States and Canada, and winter in Latin America. International Migratory Bird Day, which falls on the second Saturday in May, was observed this week by U.S. and Canadian schools. Interior Secretary Gale Norton marked the occasion by announcing $3.9 million in federal grants to conserve birds throughout the Americas and the Caribbean... Click here

Crocodiles Put Rangers on High Alert [Australia]

6 May 2005, Reuters, Sydney, Australia - A record number of crocodiles in Australia's famous Kakadu National Park, and larger more aggressive saltwater crocodiles, have put rangers on high alert as the giant animals attack boats and bite outboard motors. Crocodiles have been a protected species in the Northern Territory since 1971 and their number has now grown to around 70,000 saltwater crocodiles, up from 3,000 some 30 years ago... Click here

Puerto Rico: Glowing Lagoon Lures Tourists

4 May 2005, CNN.com, Fajardo, Puerto Rico - At night in a lagoon fringed with mangrove thickets, kayakers set their paddles down and look to the dark water for a secret of nature seen in few places. You simply run a hand through the water, and a greenish glow whirls off your fingers like radiant stardust... Click here

Work Starts on £7m Wetland Scheme [United Kingdom]

4 May 2005, BBC News, UK Edition - With the project, the largest of its kind in Europe, a new sea wall made of clay will be fronted by a man-made salt marsh instead of the usual concrete retaining wall. The wetland is designed to provide shelter and habitat for invertebrates, fish, rare plants and create a new winter haven for wild birds... Click here

New Report Finds Half of All North American Bird Species Depend on Canada's Boreal Forest

2 May 2005, Press Release from the Boreal Songbird Initiative, Seattle, Washington (USA) – A new scientific study shows that nearly 50% of all bird species in the US and Canada rely on the Boreal Forest Region for survival. The report finds that the Boreal Forest Region is more important to landbirds, shorebirds, waterbirds and waterfowl than anyone had previously realized... Click here

Water Returns to Iraq's Eden

28 April 2005 by Inter Press News Service Agency (Tierramérica), Katherine Stapp, New York, NY (USA) - Fifteen years after the former Iraqi government used old blueprints dating from the British Empire to drain a vast wetland, the area is slowly creeping back to life. For millennia, the Mesopotamian Marshlands were an isolated and swampy oasis in the desert, covering more than 20,000 square km of interconnected lakes, mudflats and bayous... Click here

Ivory-billed Woodpecker Rediscovered in Arkansas [USA]

28 April 2005, National Public Radio - The landmark find caps a search that began more than 60 years ago, after biologists said North America’s largest woodpecker had become extinct in the United States. The large, showy bird is an American legend -- it disappeared when the big bottomland forests of North America were logged, and relentless searches have produced only false alarms. Now, in an intensive year-long search in the Cache River and White River national wildlife refuges involving more than 50 experts and field biologists working together as part of the Big Woods Partnership, an ivory-billed male has been captured on video... Click here

UP’s Land Reclamation Projects Threaten Vital Wetlands [India]

27 April 2005, Down to Earth - A project by the Uttar Pradesh government is set to drain the state’s wetlands, crucial habitat of the sarus crane and a source of livelihood for people in the area. In blatant contravention of a 2001 Allahabad High Court directive preventing the draining of wetlands in Uttar Pradesh, the Rs 1,300 crore UP Sodic Land Reclamation project is continuing its activities to wipe out the wetlands, putting the rare sarus crane population under threat and destroying the livelihoods of people in the region... Click here

Reviving Wetlands a Real Possibility

19 April 2005, Inter Press News Service Agency (Tierramérica), Katherine Stapp, New York, NY, USA - When two French ornithologists entered Mauritania's Diawling National Park in January 1994, they were startled to find not a vibrant floodplain, but "a dusty salt desert with a few sickly-looking cows," and a grand total of three birds. Once populated by vast flocks of pelicans and flamingos, the area was transformed by the construction of a dam where the Senegal River emptied into the Atlantic Ocean. Its green marshes had become an expanse of dry, cracked clay interspersed with small dunes and invasive weeds... Click here

The Foundations of Life Itself Are in Danger

5 April 2005, Water Conserve Portal, Inter Press News, by Stephen Leahy, Brooklin, Canada - Species are going extinct 1,000 times faster than at any time in history, with up to 30 percent of all mammal, bird and amphibian species in danger of disappearing, according to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. This accelerated loss of biodiversity on the planet threatens 60 percent of the ecosystems necessary for life, says the 22-million-dollar study that was begun in 2001, promoted by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Synthesis Report, released Mar. 30 and involving 1,300 experts from 95 countries, concluded that 15 of the 24 ecosystem ''services'' that support life on Earth are being degraded or used in an unsustainable fashion... Click here

Regional Bird Conservation Planning: Birds and Land Uses (USA)

This website provides an interactive map that allows you to visualize land uses for counties and summarise bird counts (through the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS)). It offers summaries of land cover and bird survey data for state and regional bird conservation planning across the continental United States. It is possible to select a specific location and calculate the number of bird species observed on BBS routes adjacent to that location. As a novice GIS user, there is a Help section providing step-by-step examples. Click here [this update thanks to John Cecil]

Propagation of Wetland Plants: Herbaceous Plants, Shrubs and Trees (USA)
By Dr. Edgar Garbisch and Suzanne McIninich

This book synthesizes over thirty-two years of wetland horticulture experience. This resource of Environmental Concern, Inc., covers more than 100 species and contains over 200 illustrations. 350 pages; For more details and ordering information click here

10 - 13 June
Meeting to Conclude and Endorse the Proposed Central Asian Flyway Action Plan for Waterbirds and their Habitats
New Delhi, India. For more information contact Lyle Glowka, CMS Secretariat lglowka@cms.unep.de Click here

New
June 16 - 18
Traditional Wetlands Cultures in Transition
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science in Key Biscane, Florida, Held by The University of Miami's Centre for Ecosystem Science and Policy. Click here

July

3 – 9 July
7th Bi–annual Wetlands Institute One Week Course
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Wetland mapping, inventory, and restoration techniques are placed in a community context. Participants interested in building and implementing a plan for a wetland education, conservation or restoration project in their own community are encouraged to apply. Click here

15 – 19 July
19th Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology, Conservation Biology Capacity Building & Practice in a Globalized World
Universidade de Brasília, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil. Click here

19 – 22 July
Managing Watersheds for Human and Natural Impacts: Engineering, Ecological, and Economic Challenges
Williamsburg, Virginia, USA. Sponsored by the Environmental and Water Resources Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Click here

August

1 - 6 August
Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds 15th Regional Meeting [La Sociedad para la Conservación y Estudio de las Aves Caribeñas]
Guadeloupe. For further details contact Carolyn Wardle: cwardle@batelnet.bs

7 – 12 August
90th Annual Meeting, Ecological Society of America, jointly with INTECOL
Montréal, Canada. Click here

13 – 19 August
The 123rd American Ornithologists' Union Meeting
Santa Barbara, California, USA. Hosted by the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Click here

September

4 – 8 September
International Symposium on Wetland Pollutant Dynamics and Control
Ghent, Belgium. Click here

6 September
River Basin Management 2005: 3rd International Conference on River Basin Management
Including all aspects of Hydrology, Ecology, Environmental Management, Flood Plains and Wetlands. Bologna, Italy. Click here

12 – 18 September
Society for Ecological Restoration International Annual Meeting
A session will be held entitled "Agricultural Wetland Habitats: Assessment, mapping, revitalizing, naturalizing" Zaragosa, Spain. Topics may include cranberry, rice, forested and other wetland areas; formerly drained/tiled/flooded sites; and related regulatory, cultural and societal issues. Click here

19 September - 7 October
Interactive Training on River Basin Restoration [Based on the European Water Framework Directive and Natura 2000]
Lelystad, The Netherlands. For a fact sheet in PDF format Click here

22 – 25 September
W3M conference for wetlands: monitoring, modeling, management
Wierzba, Poland. Click here

October

3 – 7 October
Peatland Ecology Research Group (PERG) Restoration Workshop
Québec, Canada, open to all those interested in studying the "Canadian way" of peatland restoration. Click here for the PERG website

6 - 9 October
3rd International Waterfowl Symposium on Anseriformes of Northern Eurasia
Saint-Petersburg, Russia. Click here for online registration and information.

New
18 October
The Upper Bay of Panama will celebrate its recognition as a Site of Hemispheric Importance (as part of WHSRN, the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network.) The date was chosen to coincide with the astronomical high tide, bringing the hundreds of thousands of shorebirds expected to be present into close viewing range. For more information, contact Rosabel Miró, President, Panama Audubon Society, rosabelmiro@mac.com.

New
October 18-19
Wetland and Riparian Area Legal Workshop: Identifying "Waters of the United States" After SWANCC
(Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County), Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North. Organised by The Association of State Wetland Managers Institute. Click here

New
23 - 27 October
3rd Meeting of the Parties of the African Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA)
Dakar, Senegal, Click here

Updated
25 – 27 October
2nd Regional Workshop on Dredging, Beach Nourishment, and Bird Conservation
Eastern Long Island, New York, USA, Radisson Hotel Macarthur Airport. Sponsored by the American Bird Conservancy and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A principal focus will be on three coastal bird groups: waterbirds, shorebirds, and Piping Plovers. For more information contact Casey Lott at American Bird Conservancy: clott@abcbirds.org

November

New
5 - 9 November

Wetlands International Goose Specialist Group 9th Annual Meeting
Sopron, Hungary. Contact: Prof. Dr. Sándor Farago: farago@emk.nyme.hu Click here

7 – 11 November
2nd North American Sea Duck Conference
Annapolis, MD. Sponsored by the Sea Duck Joint Venture, and by various other federal and private organizations. Sponsored by the United States Geological Survey – Patuxent Wildlife Research Center at the Loews Annapolis Hotel. Click here

Updated
8 – 15 November
9th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP9) , Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
Kampala, Uganda, Click here

8 – 26 November
Community–based Integrated Watershed Management
Silang, Cavite, Philippines. Organised by the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), this 3–week training course intends to offer a new approach in integrating technologies and participatory strategies within the natural landscape or "watershed" for sustainable resource use, conservation and protection. Click here

New
15 - 16 November
Integrated Restoration of Riverine Wetlands, Streams, Riparian Areas, and Flood Plains in Watershed Contexts
University of Massachusetts Campus Center, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA. Organised by the Association of State Wetland Managers. Click here

16 - 25 November
8th Meeting of Contracting Parties of Convention on Migratory Species
Nairobi, Kenya. Click here

28 November – 2 December
3rd International Conference on Deep Sea Corals
Virginia Key, an island off the coast of Miami, Florida, USA. Offered by the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS). Click here

December

11 – 13 December
Australasian Shorebird Conference 2005
Nelson, New Zealand. Hosted by the Ornithological Society of New Zealand, the Australasian Wader Study Group, and the New Zealand Wader Study Group. [The Conference follows the Australasian Ornithological Conference which will be held in Blenheim, New Zealand 6–10 December 2005.] Contact David Melville (david.melville@xtra.co.nz) for general conference issues and Phil Battley (philbattley@quicksilver.net.nz) about the program. Click here

2006

4-7 January
Environmental Change in Lakes, Lagoons & Wetlands of the Southern Mediterranean Region (ECOLLAW): 1st International Conference
Cairo, Egypt. Organised jointly between University College London (UK) and the National Authority for Remote Sensing & Space Sciences (NARSS), stemming from the EU-INCO funded project MELMARINA (Monitoring & Modelling Coastal Lagoons: Making Management Tools for Aquatic Resources in North Africa). Email: info.ecollaw2006@geog.ucl.ac.uk Click here

February

New
20 – 23 February
4th Mangrove Forest Ecology, Management and Restoration Training Workshop
Hollywood, Florida, USA, Anne Kolb Nature Center. The workshop includes an introduction to mangrove forest ecology, management options and problems, and restoration design issues. Case studies of 5 successful mangrove restoration projects, and several unsuccessful projects, are discussed. Field trips are taken within the 500 ha West Lake Park mangrove restoration project. This course is organized by the Coastal Resources Group, Inc., and will be taught in conjunction with the Mangrove Action Project (www.earthisland.org/map). More information can be provided by Robin Lewis: LESRRL3@aol.com or click here

June 2006

20th Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology, Conservation Without Borders
San Jose McEnery Convention Center, San Jose, California, USA. Click here

August 2006

6 – 11 August
Ecological Society of America 91st Annual Meeting
Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Click here

13 – 19 August
24th International Ornithological Congress
The Deutsche Ornithologen–Gesellschaft (DO–G, German Ornithologist's Society) and Institute of Avian Reseach 'Vogelwarte Helgoland,' Wilhelmshaven
Hamburg, Germany.

September 2006

1 –3 September
Seabird Populations Under Pressure
Aberdeen, Scotland. To be hosted by the (UK) Seabird Group. For further information contact: Mark Tasker: mark.tasker@jncc.gov.uk

October 2006

Updated
2 – 7 October 2006
4th North American Ornithological Conference (NAOC)
Veracruz, Mexico. Other associated meetings: American Ornithologists' Union, Association of Field Ornithologists, CIPAMEX (Sección Mexicana de Consejo Internacional para la Preservación de las Aves, A. C.) , Cooper Ornithological Society, Raptor Research Foundation, Society of Canadian Ornithologists / Société des Ornithologistes du Canada, The Waterbird Society, Wilson Ornithological Society. Click here

December 2006

New
9 – 13 December
3rd National Conference and Expo on Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration, "Forging the National Imperative for Restoration"
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, Hilton Riverside Hotel. Contact Conference Planning/Program coordinator, Steve Emmett-Mattox at sem@estuaries.org

2007

June 2007

Updated
4 - 9 June
VIII Neotropical Ornithological Congress
Maturín (Monagas), Venezuela & Unión Venezolana de Ornitología. Click here

The End
1 June 2005