Ramsar Convention
- NOTOC**
Ramsar Convention and Global Wetland Conservation
The Convention on Wetlands, widely known as the Ramsar Convention, is an international framework for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. Adopted in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, the Convention developed from an early focus on wetlands important to waterfowl into a much broader system of international cooperation encompassing biodiversity, freshwater resources, coastal ecosystems, climate resilience, agriculture, urban planning and human livelihoods.
The Convention is built around three closely connected principles: the wise use of wetlands, the designation and effective management of Wetlands of International Importance, commonly called Ramsar Sites, and international cooperation over shared wetlands, river systems and migratory species. These principles recognize that wetlands are not isolated nature reserves but functioning ecological systems closely connected with water management, food production, communities and economic development.
Wetlands protected or addressed through the Convention include rivers, lakes, marshes, peatlands, floodplains, estuaries, mangroves, coastal areas, coral-associated systems and human-made wetlands. Together they provide habitat for wildlife while supporting water supplies, fisheries, agriculture, flood control, carbon storage, cultural traditions and local economies.
Ramsar Sites and Wetlands of International Importance
One of the Convention's most visible mechanisms is the List of Wetlands of International Importance. Contracting Parties identify qualifying wetlands and commit themselves to maintaining their ecological character through conservation, monitoring and appropriate management.
Sites can qualify because they represent rare or distinctive wetland types or because of their importance to threatened species, ecological communities, migratory birds, fish and other biodiversity. The Ramsar network therefore includes ecosystems ranging from mountain lakes and peatlands to estuaries, mangroves, reservoirs and urban wetlands.
Recent designations illustrate this diversity. Wetlands added to the international network include Madongho Wetland in the Republic of Korea, India's Glaw Lake, Angola's Lisima Lya Mwono, Austria's transboundary Podyjí–Thayatal wetland, Saudi Arabia's Soudah Waterfall and numerous wetlands in India, Thailand, Portugal and other countries.
Older examples demonstrate the geographic and ecological breadth of the system. Ramsar Sites profiled in the material include Elkhorn Slough in California, Colombia's Amazonian Lakes of Tarapoto, the Berg Estuary in South Africa, the Lower Songkhram River in Thailand, Ambaro Bay mangroves in Madagascar, coastal wetlands in the Philippines and freshwater, floodplain and mountain ecosystems across Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Americas.
These examples also demonstrate that Ramsar designation is not limited to pristine wilderness. Human-created reservoirs, abandoned agricultural areas, former saltworks and wetlands embedded within large cities may acquire substantial ecological importance and qualify for international recognition.
Wise Use and National Implementation
The concept of wise use is central to Ramsar policy. Rather than treating conservation and human activity as necessarily incompatible, the Convention promotes maintaining the ecological character of wetlands within the context of ecosystem approaches and sustainable development.
Implementation occurs primarily through national governments. Countries designate Ramsar Sites, establish management systems, monitor ecological change and incorporate wetland considerations into broader environmental and development policies. National implementation varies considerably according to legal systems, institutional capacity, financing, land ownership and relationships among governments, local communities and other stakeholders.
Examples in the material include extensive Ramsar programmes in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the United States. Australia's framework is particularly detailed, combining national Ramsar guidelines, ecological character descriptions, management principles, monitoring requirements and protections under national environmental law.
Scientific research nevertheless demonstrates that designation alone does not guarantee successful conservation. Studies of Ramsar Sites have examined ecological deterioration, waterbird trends, governance weaknesses, urban development pressures and the difficulties of maintaining a fixed definition of ecological character in ecosystems that naturally change over time.
Governance and International Cooperation
The Convention operates through a network of international and national institutions. The Conference of the Contracting Parties establishes major policy direction, while the Standing Committee oversees Convention affairs between conferences. The Secretariat coordinates implementation and international activities, and the Scientific and Technical Review Panel provides scientific guidance on wetland assessment, monitoring, restoration and management.
International cooperation is especially important for wetlands crossing national borders, shared river basins and migratory species dependent on networks of habitats extending across several countries. Ramsar Regional Initiatives, international conservation organizations and partnerships with other environmental agreements provide additional mechanisms for cooperation.
The Convention also works with organizations including the International Union for Conservation of Nature, BirdLife International, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme and other governmental and nongovernmental institutions.
This cooperative model reflects the reality that water, wildlife migration and ecological processes do not follow political boundaries. Effective wetland protection can therefore require coordination at local, national, regional and international levels.
COP15 and the Fifth Strategic Plan
The fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties, held at Victoria Falls in 2025, marked an important stage in the Convention's development. COP15 addressed restoration, financing, technology, scientific cooperation, traditional knowledge and stronger international coordination.
A central outcome was the Fifth Strategic Plan, which guides implementation from 2025 through 2034. The plan provides a framework for addressing continuing wetland degradation while strengthening restoration, conservation, monitoring and cooperation.
The accompanying Victoria Falls Declaration and related decisions emphasized the need to move from recognition of wetland decline toward more effective implementation. Subsequent Convention discussions have focused on indicators, reporting tools, financing, science partnerships, Ramsar Regional Initiatives and preparations for the next Conference of the Contracting Parties.
The Global Wetland Outlook 2025 reinforced the urgency of this work by documenting continued wetland decline and linking that loss with risks to biodiversity, water security, climate resilience and economically valuable ecosystem services.
Wetlands, Biodiversity and Climate Change
Wetlands occupy an increasingly prominent position in international climate and biodiversity policy. Peatlands, mangroves, seagrass systems, floodplains and other wetlands can store carbon, regulate water, reduce flood impacts and help communities withstand droughts, storms and other environmental hazards.
At the same time, wetlands themselves are vulnerable to climate change. Research has examined how warming, altered rainfall, hydrological disruption and changing ecological baselines may affect Ramsar Sites. Climate vulnerability assessments increasingly form part of wetland monitoring and management.
Wetland protection is therefore connected with both climate mitigation and adaptation. Conservation can prevent the release of stored carbon, while restoration can recover carbon-storage capacity and hydrological functions. Healthy wetlands can also provide natural infrastructure that reduces environmental risks to surrounding communities.
Ramsar guidance increasingly links wetland conservation with broader international biodiversity commitments, including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Wetland protection and restoration can contribute simultaneously to habitat conservation, freshwater security, climate resilience and sustainable development.
Restoration, Peatlands and Agriculture
Restoration has become an increasingly important part of Ramsar policy as governments confront decades of wetland drainage, pollution, water diversion and land conversion.
Peatlands receive particular attention because drainage can transform long-term carbon stores into significant sources of greenhouse-gas emissions. Ramsar technical guidance promotes rewetting degraded peatlands, restoring natural hydrology, re-establishing peat-forming vegetation and using monitoring and adaptive management to guide recovery.
Restoration strategies extend beyond peatlands. Coastal wetlands, floodplains, marshes and other ecosystems can be restored to improve biodiversity, water regulation, carbon storage and resilience to environmental hazards.
Agriculture presents both challenges and opportunities. Wetlands have historically been drained or modified for farming, while agricultural water extraction, nutrients and pesticides can place additional pressure on remaining ecosystems. Ramsar and FAO guidance promotes approaches that maintain food production while conserving wetlands, protecting catchments and reducing damaging agricultural practices.
This approach reflects the Convention's broader wise-use philosophy: long-term conservation often depends on integrating wetland protection with the economic and social systems surrounding the ecosystem.
Monitoring, Science and Technology
Scientific information is essential for determining whether the ecological character of a Ramsar Site is being maintained. The Convention has therefore developed extensive guidance for inventories, ecological assessment, monitoring and management.
Remote sensing and Earth observation have become increasingly important tools. Satellite imagery, geographic information systems and long-term environmental datasets can identify changes in wetland extent, vegetation, hydrology and land use that may be difficult to detect through field surveys alone.
Research also highlights conceptual challenges. Wetlands are dynamic ecosystems, and their ecological character may vary naturally over time. Climate change further complicates the use of historical conditions as permanent conservation baselines. Contemporary Ramsar science therefore increasingly considers natural variability, changing environmental conditions and adaptive management.
The Scientific and Technical Review Panel supports this process through technical reports, policy briefs and guidance on subjects including environmental flows, climate vulnerability, peatland restoration, agriculture, small wetlands, Earth observation and disaster-risk reduction.
Wetland Cities and Urban Conservation
Urbanization has created a major challenge for wetlands, but it has also produced new opportunities for integrating wetlands into cities. Urban wetlands can provide flood storage, water filtration, biodiversity habitat, recreational areas and natural infrastructure while improving quality of life.
The Wetland City Accreditation programme recognizes municipalities that demonstrate strong relationships with urban and nearby wetlands. Guidance encourages cities to integrate wetland protection into land-use planning, public participation and sustainable development.
The programme has expanded internationally, with additional cities receiving accreditation as awareness of urban wetlands has grown. Research and case studies nevertheless show that urban wetlands remain vulnerable to development, pollution, groundwater depletion, infrastructure construction and competing demands for land.
Bogotá provides one example of these pressures and opportunities. Its internationally recognized urban wetlands have become important sites for restoration and biodiversity conservation while remaining exposed to pollution, development and changing water conditions.
Indigenous Peoples, Local Communities and Cultural Values
Ramsar policy increasingly recognizes that wetlands are cultural as well as ecological landscapes. Indigenous peoples and local communities may maintain long-standing relationships with rivers, marshes, mangroves, peatlands and other wetlands through customary management, traditional knowledge, fishing, agriculture, spiritual practices and cultural traditions.
Convention guidance has encouraged greater participation by Indigenous peoples and local communities in wetland management since at least the 1990s. Subsequent resolutions have strengthened recognition of traditional knowledge and cultural practices as important components of wetland conservation and climate resilience.
The establishment of a Culture Working Group represents a further development in this direction. Its work seeks to place cultural values, traditional knowledge, Indigenous stewardship and relationships between people and wetlands more firmly within international wetland policy.
The 2026 World Wetlands Day theme, focused on wetlands and traditional knowledge, similarly reflects the Convention's increasing recognition that long-term ecological conservation may depend upon knowledge systems and cultural relationships developed over generations.
Challenges and Effectiveness
Despite more than five decades of international cooperation, the material shows that wetlands continue to face significant pressures. Drainage, urban development, pollution, groundwater depletion, agricultural expansion, infrastructure, invasive species, climate change and weak governance can undermine both designated Ramsar Sites and wetlands outside the international network.
Institutional problems can also limit conservation. Research has examined inadequate financing, fragmented responsibilities, governance weaknesses, conflicts among agencies and stakeholders, and even corruption risks associated with land allocation and restoration funding.
These difficulties illustrate an important distinction between designation and conservation. International recognition can establish obligations, attract attention and provide a framework for management, but ecological protection ultimately depends on effective national laws, adequate resources, scientific monitoring, local participation and sustained management.
At the same time, the Convention has created a durable international system for identifying important wetlands, establishing common conservation principles, developing scientific guidance and encouraging cooperation among governments and conservation organizations.
Conclusion
The Ramsar Convention has evolved from an agreement strongly associated with waterfowl habitat into a broad international framework for wetland conservation and sustainable use. Its modern agenda encompasses biodiversity, water security, climate change, ecosystem restoration, agriculture, urban development, Indigenous knowledge, cultural values and international environmental cooperation.
Its network of Wetlands of International Importance demonstrates the extraordinary variety of ecosystems that fall within the wetland concept, from peatlands and mountain lakes to mangroves, estuaries, floodplains, reservoirs and urban wetlands.
The Convention's continuing challenge is not simply to designate more wetlands but to ensure that their ecological character is maintained in a period of rapid environmental change. The Fifth Strategic Plan, expanding restoration programmes, improved monitoring technologies, community participation and stronger links with global biodiversity and climate policy represent efforts to meet that challenge.
More than five decades after its adoption, Ramsar remains an important international mechanism for recognizing that healthy wetlands are essential not only for wildlife but also for water, food systems, climate resilience, livelihoods and the long-term relationship between human societies and the natural environment.
- TOC**
COP15, Strategy and Global Wetland Policy
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 18 May 2026
Reports on post-COP15 implementation discussions concerning indicators, reporting systems, science, funding, regional initiatives, Wetland Cities and preparation for COP16.
Provides an overview of Australia's responsibilities under the Ramsar Convention and explains its broad definition of wetlands and commitment to conservation and wise use.
| Joint Nature Conservation Committee | JNCC | 5 March 2026
Explains implementation of the Convention in the United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories, including Ramsar-site reporting and the UK's network of internationally important wetlands.
| IUCN | International Union for Conservation of Nature | February 2026
Reviews IUCN's long-running institutional relationship with Ramsar and its work on site designation, technical assistance, conservation planning, community participation and wise use.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 2026
Describes the STRP's 2025–2028 scientific work programme covering Ramsar Sites, inventories, mapping, climate pressures, restoration, wise use and cooperation with other environmental agreements.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 28 August 2025
Reviews the major outcomes of COP15 in Victoria Falls, including adoption of the Fifth Strategic Plan, the Victoria Falls Declaration, wetland restoration priorities, financing, technology, traditional knowledge and stronger international cooperation.
Provides a detailed independent account of COP15 negotiations, decisions and debates, placing the meeting within the longer history of the Ramsar Convention and global wetland diplomacy.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 23–31 July 2025
Official COP15 meeting portal containing agendas, reports, draft resolutions, adopted resolutions and supporting documents from the Victoria Falls conference.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 15 July 2025
Summarizes the Global Wetland Outlook 2025 warning that continued wetland decline threatens biodiversity, water security, climate resilience and ecosystem services worth trillions of dollars annually.
| Convention on Wetlands | Global Wetland Outlook | 15 July 2025
Presents the Convention's major global assessment of wetland extent, degradation, ecosystem-service value, conservation needs, restoration requirements and financing gaps.
| International Coral Reef Initiative | ICRI | 15 July 2025
Highlights the Global Wetland Outlook's economic findings and connects Ramsar implementation with the conservation of coral reefs, coastal wetlands and other marine-linked ecosystems.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 6 May 2025
Examines Poland's national wetland strategy, peatland restoration, rewetting, paludiculture, Ramsar Sites and efforts to integrate wetland conservation across government agencies.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 11 March 2025
Surveys World Wetlands Day activities around the world and connects public wetland restoration and awareness campaigns with preparations for COP15.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 24 February 2025
Reviews Standing Committee preparations for COP15, including proposals on wetland pressures, waterbird flyways, technology, traditional knowledge and the Waterbird Estimates Partnership.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 28 January 2025
Reports the accreditation of 31 additional Wetland Cities and examines how urban governments can conserve wetlands while improving flood protection, water quality, biodiversity and residents' quality of life.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 23 January 2025
Introduces the 2025 World Wetlands Day theme, explains the relationship between the observance and the Ramsar Convention, and emphasizes water, biodiversity and climate resilience.
| H. Robertson et al. | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | 2025
Describes the Global Wetland Outlook 2025 and its findings on wetland loss, ecosystem services, food and water security, restoration costs and pathways toward nature-positive investment.
| IUCN | International Union for Conservation of Nature | 2025
Sets out IUCN's recommendations for COP15, including stronger wetland protection, measurable targets, alignment with the Global Biodiversity Framework and increased conservation finance.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 2025
Explains the role of the Convention's Strategic Plans and introduces the Fifth Strategic Plan, which guides Ramsar implementation from 2025 through 2034.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | n.d.
Summarizes the Convention's mission and its three principal pillars: wise use of wetlands, designation and management of Ramsar Sites, and international cooperation.
Ramsar Sites and National Implementation
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 10 August 2026
Describes Madongho Wetland, a Korean brackish estuary supporting more than 1,000 recorded species and important migratory-waterbird habitat along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 3 August 2026
Covers India's designation of Glaw Lake, a culturally important Himalayan freshwater wetland supporting rare birds, orchids, reptiles, amphibians and four species of large cats.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 30 January 2026
Describes Austria's portion of the transboundary Podyjí–Thayatal National Park Ramsar Site and its importance for biodiversity, hydrology, forest restoration and cross-border conservation.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 6 January 2026
Reports Angola's first Ramsar designation, Lisima Lya Mwono, an enormous watershed and peatland complex feeding major southern African river and wetland systems.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 17 November 2025
Profiles Portugal's Óbidos Lagoon and its importance for threatened birds and fish, fisheries, shellfish harvesting, cultural traditions, tourism and environmental education.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 30 October 2025
Examines Thailand's Bang Pu coastal Ramsar Site, where mangroves, mudflats, lagoons and shallow marine waters support hundreds of species and large concentrations of waterbirds.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 30 October 2025
Profiles Gogabil Lake in Bihar, a community-managed oxbow wetland that provides wintering habitat for migratory birds and supports fisheries, agriculture and irrigation.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 26 September 2025
Describes Gokul Jalashay and Udaipur Jheel and illustrates how floodplain wetlands can support wildlife, flood buffering, local agriculture, fisheries and community conservation.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 15 July 2025
Covers the Ramsar designation of Lake Inawashiro, a major Japanese lake providing overwintering habitat for swans and ducks as well as recreational and ecological benefits.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 11 July 2025
Examines alpine peatlands in the Styrian Salzkammergut and their value for threatened mosses, insects, water regulation, recreation and peatland conservation.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 5 June 2025
Covers the Ramsar designation of Menar Wetland Complex and Khichan Wetland, emphasizing migratory birds, community stewardship and Rajasthan's seasonal wetland landscapes.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 14 April 2025
Describes the Matusagaratí Wetland Complex in Darién, Panama, highlighting its extensive freshwater and mangrove systems, threatened wildlife, fisheries and flood-protection functions.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 3 February 2025
Profiles Gandoman Wetland in Iran's Zagros Mountains, including its endemic fish, threatened birds, cultural significance, education programmes and climate-related pressures.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 2 February 2025
Describes Mkambati Nature Reserve's estuaries, swamp forests and rare plant communities and links its Ramsar designation with World Wetlands Day.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 2 February 2025
Examines Península Mitre in Tierra del Fuego, where peatlands, forests, kelp ecosystems and coastal wetlands provide biodiversity habitat and substantial carbon-storage benefits.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 2 February 2025
Profiles four newly designated Indian Ramsar Sites and their contributions to waterbird habitat, freshwater biodiversity and regional wetland conservation.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 26 August 2024
Covers the addition of Tawa Reservoir, Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary and Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary to India's growing Ramsar network.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 13 June 2024
Explains Ramsar Criterion 2 and how designation can recognize wetlands supporting vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered species and threatened ecological communities.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 5 June 2024
Describes Nagi and Nakti Bird Sanctuaries, two human-made reservoirs that evolved into important habitats for birds, mammals, fish, plants, reptiles and amphibians.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 13 May 2024
Profiles Pyeongdume Wetland in Korea, a naturally restored mountain marsh supporting hundreds of species and demonstrating wetland recovery after agricultural abandonment.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 7 May 2024
Reviews 50 years of conservation at Australia's Cobourg Peninsula, the world's first designated Ramsar Site, with particular attention to Indigenous co-management.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 16 April 2024
Explains Ramsar Criterion 1, which recognizes representative, rare or unique wetland types within appropriate biogeographic regions.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 1 February 2024
Examines Myanmar's Pyu Lake, an ancient human-made reservoir that developed significant natural wetland characteristics and now supports threatened wintering waterbirds.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 31 January 2024
Describes five new Indian Ramsar Sites representing estuaries, lakes, bird conservation areas and forest-wetland complexes with high biodiversity.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 25 January 2024
Profiles De Berg Nature Reserve, a high-altitude South African wetland complex important for threatened birds, groundwater recharge, water storage and flood control.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 8 September 2023
Describes Lendspitz–Maiernigg on Lake Wörther and its importance for fish, birds, bats, insects, shoreline habitats and local hydrology.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 14 April 2023
Profiles Caryapundy Swamp, an arid-zone Australian wetland whose irregular floods provide vital breeding and refuge habitat for waterbirds and other native wildlife.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 31 March 2023
Examines Middelpunt Nature Reserve, including its role as a breeding site for the critically endangered white-winged flufftail and its value for water supply and flood regulation.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 7 November 2022
Profiles Colombia's Complejo Cenagoso de Ayapel and its rich mammal, bird and fish diversity while noting threats from land-use change, mining pollution and pesticides.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 1 November 2022
Reviews India's designation of 26 Ramsar Sites, including natural and human-made wetlands, reservoirs, bird sanctuaries and coastal ecosystems.
Convention Framework, Institutions and Management
| UNESCO | UNESCO | 19 January 2026
Provides a concise overview of the Convention's history, UNESCO's role as depositary and the ecological and human importance of wetlands.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 2026
Explains the Wetland City Accreditation programme and how cities can integrate natural and human-made wetlands into urban planning and sustainable development.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 2025
Explains the Ramsar List, the international significance of listed wetlands and governments' commitment to maintaining their ecological character.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 2025
Examines Article 5 obligations concerning transboundary wetlands, shared water systems, migratory species, regional cooperation and information exchange.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 2025
Describes the Convention's international wetland classification system and ongoing efforts to update it for modern inventories, mapping and reporting.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 2024
Gives an overview of the COP, Standing Committee, Secretariat, STRP, CEPA bodies and national authorities that form the Convention's institutional structure.
| United Nations | United Nations Treaty Collection | 1976
Provides treaty-registration information, participating states, dates of accession and ratification, depositary information and official treaty documentation.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 2 February 1971
Provides the current text of the Convention, including amendments, and serves as the primary legal source for Ramsar obligations.
| UNESCO | UNESCO Legal Affairs | 1971
Supplies the treaty's legal background, adoption and entry-into-force information and the official international framework governing the Convention.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | n.d.
Explains how governments nominate Ramsar Sites, the information required for designation and the criteria used to determine international importance.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | n.d.
Describes expectations for management planning, ecological-character monitoring and effective conservation of designated Ramsar Sites.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | n.d.
Explains the central Ramsar concept of "wise use," which integrates maintenance of ecological character with ecosystem approaches and sustainable development.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | n.d.
Describes Ramsar Regional Initiatives, regional centres and cooperation networks that help countries share knowledge and strengthen implementation.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | n.d.
Explains Ramsar Advisory Missions, through which expert teams provide technical assistance when the ecological character of a listed wetland is threatened.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | n.d.
Describes the Standing Committee's role in overseeing Convention affairs between the triennial meetings of the Conference of the Contracting Parties.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | n.d.
Explains the Scientific and Technical Review Panel's role in providing evidence-based advice on wetland conservation, assessment, monitoring and management.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | n.d.
Describes the Convention's six International Organization Partners and their contributions to research, policy, field conservation, advocacy and implementation.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | n.d.
Reviews Ramsar partnerships with environmental conventions, NGOs, international institutions, civil society and the private sector.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | n.d.
Explores cultural values, traditional practices, Indigenous peoples, local communities, livelihoods and spiritual connections associated with wetlands.
| Scientific and Technical Review Panel | Convention on Wetlands | n.d.
Provides access to Ramsar policy briefs on peatlands, disaster risk reduction, agriculture, environmental flows, small wetlands and other implementation issues.
Scientific Research, Climate and Effectiveness
| Ritesh Kumar, C. Max Finlayson and Suchita Awasthi | Wetlands | 31 July 2026
Reassesses the Convention's "wise use" concept more than five decades after Ramsar's adoption and considers its continuing relevance to sustainable wetland governance.
| Peter A. Gell, Colin M. Finlayson and Ritesh Kumar | Wetlands | 9 March 2026
Re-examines the Ramsar concept of ecological character and asks how conservation policy should address natural variation, changing baselines and dynamic wetland ecosystems.
| DCCEEW and CSIRO | Australian Government | 2026
Provides site-level assessments of climate vulnerability and adaptation pathways for Ramsar wetlands in Australia's Murray-Darling Basin.
| Various authors | Ecological Indicators | May 2023
Uses long-term Landsat observations to evaluate ecological change in China's Ramsar Sites and finds deterioration across a substantial share of the network.
| Various authors | Ramsar Wetlands: Values, Assessment, Management | 2023
Reviews international water governance for wetland conservation and considers how Ramsar and transboundary water agreements can complement basin-scale management.
Provides a scholarly introduction to Ramsar's history, development, conservation principles, site network and response to advances in wetland science.
| Dave Pritchard | Marine and Freshwater Research | 2 December 2021
Reviews the evolution of "ecological character" as a foundational Ramsar concept and discusses challenges involving baselines, natural fluctuations and ecosystem regime shifts.
| Yi Xi et al. | Nature Climate Change | 2 November 2020
Models future climate impacts across more than a thousand inland Ramsar Sites and identifies regions where substantial wetland-area losses may occur under continued warming.
| Various authors | Biological Conservation | March 2020
Tests the effectiveness of Ramsar designation for Mediterranean wintering waterbirds by comparing long-term abundance trends in Ramsar and non-Ramsar wetlands.
| M. Dunlop and N. Grigg | Australian Government / CSIRO | 2019
Presents a methodology for evaluating climate-change vulnerability at Ramsar Sites and identifying adaptation, monitoring and management options.
| Various authors | Global Environmental Change | May 2015
Examines more than four decades of Ramsar policy in relation to urban wetlands and identifies weaknesses in applying the international framework to rapidly developing cities.
| Jing Lee | Water International | 6 December 2014
Investigates how the Ramsar Convention can promote governance and cooperation in transboundary wetlands and internationally shared river basins.
Uses India's Kolleru Lake to examine the difference between Ramsar's theoretical concept of wise use and its practical implementation at a complex inhabited wetland.
| D. Farrier and L. Tucker | Journal of Environmental Law | 1 March 2000
Examines the legal meaning and practical implementation of the Ramsar Convention's wise-use obligation and its relationship with broader sustainable-development principles.
Governments, International Organizations and Conservation Partners
| United Nations Environment Programme | UNEP | 7 May 2026
Reviews mangrove ecosystem services, carbon storage and international policy frameworks, including the Ramsar Convention's role in conserving coastal wetlands.
| United Nations Environment Programme | UNEP | 26 February 2026
Explains seagrass biodiversity, fisheries and blue-carbon benefits and identifies Ramsar as an international framework relevant to conserving these coastal wetlands.
| United Nations Environment Programme | UNEP | 2026
Places Ramsar among major international marine and coastal agreements and explains its relevance to wetlands, mangroves, coral reefs and sustainable resource use.
| Environment and Climate Change Canada | Government of Canada | August 2025
Evaluates Canada's participation in the Ramsar Convention and North American Waterfowl Management Plan, including implementation, performance, partnerships and conservation outcomes.
| BirdLife International | BirdLife DataZone | 2025
Collects BirdLife wetland policy resources, including recommendations for Ramsar COP15 and tools for identifying important sites for migratory waterbirds and biodiversity.
| U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 2024
Explains U.S. participation in Ramsar and the role of Wetlands of International Importance in protecting rare, unique and biodiversity-rich wetland ecosystems.
| United Nations Environment Programme | UNEP | 2023
Discusses freshwater ecosystem health and UNEP's work with the Ramsar Convention on monitoring progress toward protection and restoration of water-related ecosystems.
| Environment and Climate Change Canada | Government of Canada | February 2022
Summarizes Canada's participation in the Convention, its Ramsar Sites, treaty commitments and contributions to international policy on wetland conservation and wise use.
| Ministry of the Environment | Government of Japan | 2022
Summarizes COP14 outcomes, including resolutions on the Strategic Plan, youth participation, waterbird population estimates and links between Ramsar implementation and other global environmental agreements.
| Environment and Climate Change Canada | Government of Canada | 2018
Places Ramsar within Canada's broader international wildlife and habitat programmes and describes the country's network of Wetlands of International Importance.
| United Nations Environment Programme | UNEP | 31 January 2017
Explains how wetlands reduce the impacts of floods, droughts and storms while providing water, food, materials, biodiversity habitat and livelihoods.
| World Bank | World Bank | 18 February 2010
Reports a cooperation agreement between the World Bank and Ramsar Secretariat focused on scientific exchange, capacity building, wetlands and climate change.
| New Zealand Department of Conservation | Government of New Zealand | n.d.
Describes New Zealand's Ramsar obligations, listed wetlands, national reporting and responsibilities for monitoring changes in ecological character.
| BirdLife International | BirdLife DataZone | n.d.
Provides BirdLife's overview of the Ramsar Convention, its objectives, broad wetland definition and relevance to global bird and wetland conservation.
| Food and Agriculture Organization | FAO | n.d.
Explains Ramsar's relevance to inland fisheries, flooded forests, peatlands, rice systems and aquatic habitats within wider global fisheries and biodiversity policy.
Current Ramsar Policy, Culture and Climate
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 25 August 2026
Examines the Convention's new Culture Working Group and efforts to place cultural values, traditional knowledge, Indigenous stewardship and local relationships with wetlands more firmly within international wetland policy and management.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 23 July 2026
Profiles Saudi Arabia's Soudah Waterfall Ramsar Site, a rare permanent freshwater ecosystem in the Asir Mountains that supports endemic amphibians, reptiles, dragonflies and other species adapted to the Arabian highlands.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 18 December 2025
Reviews more than five decades of Ramsar institutional development, including the Paris Protocol, establishment of the Standing Committee and Secretariat, the Montreux Record, STRP and successive strategic plans.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 25 November 2025
Introduces the 2026 World Wetlands Day theme, "Wetlands and traditional knowledge: Celebrating cultural heritage," emphasizing community knowledge systems that have maintained rivers, marshes, peatlands and mangroves for generations.
| Musonda Mumba | Convention on Wetlands | 18 November 2025
Argues that wetlands should occupy a central place in international climate negotiations because peatlands, mangroves, floodplains and other wetlands regulate water, store carbon and strengthen resilience to extreme weather.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 12 May 2025
Describes the Peatland Breakthrough initiative and international efforts to accelerate peatland conservation, rewetting and sustainable management for climate mitigation, biodiversity and water security.
| Musonda Mumba | Convention on Wetlands | 14 January 2025
Explains how Ramsar Sites function as nature-based solutions by improving water quality, storing carbon, supporting fisheries, sustaining biodiversity and providing livelihoods and protection from environmental hazards.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 17 November 2023
Brings together Ramsar resources prepared around UNFCCC COP28 and explains how wetland conservation, restoration, peatland rewetting and blue-carbon ecosystems contribute to climate mitigation and adaptation.
| Martha Rojas Urrego | Convention on Wetlands | 20 March 2020
Discusses wetlands as fundamental elements of the global water and climate systems, highlighting their ability to store water, regulate floods and droughts and sequester large amounts of carbon.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 2019
Reviews connections between wetland degradation and climate change while emphasizing the ability of mangroves, coral reefs, floodplains and peatlands to reduce storms, floods, droughts and greenhouse-gas emissions.
Biodiversity, Cooperation and International Action
| Musonda Mumba | Convention on Wetlands | 5 January 2023
Reviews major developments during 2022, including COP14, new Ramsar Sites, restoration initiatives, partnerships and international efforts to increase attention to wetlands in biodiversity policy.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 27 January 2022
Introduces the first UN-recognized World Wetlands Day and calls for greater financing, restoration, sustainable agriculture, reduced water waste and community participation in reversing wetland decline.
| Martha Rojas Urrego | Convention on Wetlands | 20 May 2020
Connects wetland conservation with global biodiversity policy and stresses that wetland loss threatens species, freshwater supplies, climate regulation, food systems and sustainable development.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 31 July 2018
Reviews Indigenous peoples' and local communities' participation in wetland management and emphasizes how customary use, traditional knowledge and community governance can contribute to maintaining ecological character.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 4 October 2017
Examines cooperation between the Ramsar and World Heritage conventions through case studies including the Okavango Delta, Wood Buffalo, Banc d'Arguin, Sian Ka'an and Mont-Saint-Michel.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 2011
Provides historical perspective from the Convention's 40th-anniversary period and discusses international cooperation and public awareness surrounding wetland conservation.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | n.d.
Discusses cooperation on transboundary ecosystem restoration and demonstrates the relevance of Ramsar Sites and international agreements to wetland systems extending across national borders.
| Martha Rojas Urrego | Convention on Wetlands | n.d.
Connects Ramsar implementation with migratory-bird conservation and stresses the importance of internationally coordinated wetland networks along major migration flyways.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | n.d.
Provides access to Ramsar reports, policy briefs, technical publications, climate resources, restoration guidance and other materials documenting the development and implementation of the Convention.
| Scientific and Technical Review Panel | Convention on Wetlands | n.d.
Collects scientific and technical outputs of the STRP on environmental flows, disaster risk reduction, wetland valuation, Ramsar Advisory Missions, peatlands, agriculture and small wetlands.
Wetland Restoration, Agriculture and Climate Guidance
| Convention on Wetlands and FAO | Convention on Wetlands | 2025
Examines interactions between agriculture and wetlands and presents strategies for reducing wetland degradation while maintaining food production, healthy catchments and ecosystem services.
| Convention on Wetlands and FAO | Convention on Wetlands | 2025
Offers recommendations to policymakers and agricultural practitioners for creating sustainable food systems that conserve wetlands and maintain healthy hydrological catchments.
| Scientific and Technical Review Panel | Convention on Wetlands | 2024
Provides guidance for incorporating wetlands into National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans and demonstrates their relevance to all 23 targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
| Scientific and Technical Review Panel | Convention on Wetlands | 2022
Reviews agricultural pressures including drainage, water extraction, nutrient pollution and pesticides and identifies integrated approaches for sustaining farming while protecting wetlands.
| Scientific and Technical Review Panel | Convention on Wetlands | 2021
Presents global technical guidance for restoring degraded peatlands through hydrological restoration, re-establishment of peat-forming vegetation, stakeholder participation, monitoring and adaptive management.
| Scientific and Technical Review Panel | Convention on Wetlands | 2021
Provides practical guidance for peatland restoration, including ditch blocking, bund construction, revegetation, reforestation and reinstatement of traditional management practices.
| Scientific and Technical Review Panel | Convention on Wetlands | 2021
Explains why rewetting drained peatlands is necessary for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, recovering biodiversity and meeting international climate goals.
| Scientific and Technical Review Panel | Convention on Wetlands | 2018
Reviews evidence that restoration of peatlands, coastal wetlands and other ecosystems can improve carbon storage, climate adaptation and disaster-risk reduction.
| Scientific and Technical Review Panel | Convention on Wetlands | 2018
Explains how satellite Earth observation and related geospatial technologies can improve wetland inventories, assessment, monitoring and Ramsar reporting.
| Convention on Wetlands and Convention on Biological Diversity | Convention on Wetlands | 2011
Provides a structured framework for assessing wetland exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity to climate change and incorporating the results into adaptive management.
Technical Guidance, Monitoring and Urban Wetlands
| Scientific and Technical Review Panel | Convention on Wetlands | 2025
Explains the disproportionately important ecological role of small wetlands and recommends policy measures for conserving, restoring and wisely using ponds, marshes and other small wetland systems.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 2025
Provides international case studies illustrating interactions between wetlands and agriculture and examples of practices intended to reconcile food production with ecosystem conservation.
| Scientific and Technical Review Panel | Convention on Wetlands | 2015
Summarizes evidence of continuing global declines in wetland extent and quality and the resulting loss of ecosystem services available to human communities.
| Scientific and Technical Review Panel | Convention on Wetlands | 2013
Shows how urban planners and governments can integrate wetlands into development while protecting natural infrastructure, biodiversity, water management and community well-being.
| Scientific and Technical Review Panel | Convention on Wetlands | 2012
Examines water storage, dams and infrastructure and discusses how increasing demand for reliable water supplies can affect wetland ecosystems and river basins.
| Convention on Wetlands | Ramsar Handbooks | 2010
Provides Ramsar guidance on developing wetland inventories, assessing ecological condition and creating monitoring systems capable of detecting environmental change.
| Convention on Wetlands | Ramsar Handbooks | 2010
Provides detailed methods and principles for national and regional wetland inventories and explains why reliable baseline information is essential for conservation planning.
| Scientific and Technical Review Panel | Convention on Wetlands | 2006
Explores affordable GIS and remote-sensing approaches for mapping wetlands, monitoring ecological change, identifying threats and improving wetland inventory systems.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | n.d.
Offers practical guidance to Ramsar Site managers on planning, ecological monitoring, periodic evaluation, management implementation and descriptions of site character.
| Scientific and Technical Review Panel | Convention on Wetlands | n.d.
Collects Ramsar technical reports covering climate vulnerability, Earth observation, peatland restoration, biodiversity planning, agriculture and other scientific aspects of Convention implementation.
Wetland Cities, Culture and Community Participation
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 28 February 2026
Guides municipal authorities through Wetland City Accreditation and explains how urban wetland protection can be incorporated into land-use planning and local sustainable-development programmes.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 8 May 2023
Provides operational guidance for cities seeking recognition under the Ramsar Wetland City Accreditation programme and outlines expectations concerning conservation, management and public participation.
| Conference of the Contracting Parties | Convention on Wetlands | 2018
Recognizes contributions of Indigenous and local cultural practices to wetland management, climate adaptation and mitigation and encourages stronger incorporation of traditional knowledge into Ramsar implementation.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 2018
Reviews Ramsar data on Indigenous and local-community involvement and assesses policy approaches for increasing meaningful participation in wetland governance.
| Conference of the Contracting Parties | Convention on Wetlands | 3 July 2015
Establishes the Ramsar Wetland City Accreditation system as a mechanism for recognizing municipalities that demonstrate positive relationships with nearby and urban wetlands.
| Conference of the Contracting Parties | Convention on Wetlands | 2015
Sets out the Convention's Fourth Strategic Plan, including goals addressing drivers of wetland loss, wise use, Ramsar Site management and improved implementation.
| Conference of the Contracting Parties | Convention on Wetlands | 10 May 1999
Establishes influential Ramsar guidance for strengthening participation by Indigenous peoples and local communities in wetland management and conservation decision-making.
| Convention on Wetlands | COP7 | 1999
Examines participatory approaches for involving Indigenous peoples and local communities in wetland management and provides historical background for later Ramsar participation policies.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | n.d.
Provides cities with practical information on meeting accreditation criteria and demonstrating long-term commitments to the conservation and wise use of urban wetlands.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | n.d.
Collects important Ramsar documents concerning culture, livelihoods, traditional practices, Indigenous participation and the incorporation of cultural values into wetland management.
Ramsar Governance, Law and Effectiveness
| Various authors | Edward Elgar Publishing | 18 February 2025
Presents a collection examining wetlands under international environmental law, including Ramsar's history, implementation, interaction with other treaties and future governance challenges.
| Various authors | Edward Elgar Publishing | 2025
Examines the role of Indigenous peoples and local communities within the Ramsar Convention and international wetland governance more broadly.
| Juan G. Navedo et al. | Conservation Letters | 2023
Examines the contribution of internationally coordinated wetland protection to migratory-waterbird conservation and considers how Ramsar can strengthen conservation across migration networks.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 2022
Provides an updated version of the Fourth Strategic Plan and reflects changes and implementation priorities during the latter part of the 2016–2024 planning period.
| Peter Bridgewater and R. E. Kim | Wetlands Ecology and Management | 2021
Reviews the Ramsar Convention after fifty years, examining its accomplishments, institutional development and continuing challenges in reversing global wetland degradation.
| Various authors | Environmental Science & Policy | August 2015
Compares Ramsar implementation across different continents and examines how institutions, finances, overlapping governance systems and local actors affect treaty implementation.
| Conference of the Contracting Parties | Convention on Wetlands | 2015
Contains the formal COP resolution adopting the Ramsar Strategic Plan for 2016–2024 and provides a primary source for understanding Convention priorities during that period.
Compares implementation of Ramsar in Japan and England and evaluates how national and local governance structures shape coastal wetland conservation outcomes.
| Jonathan Verschuuren | Tilburg University | 2008
Examines Ramsar and international law governing transboundary wetlands and considers how wetland protection can be integrated into cooperative river-basin governance.
| Various authors | Landscape and Urban Planning | 1991
Provides an early examination of Ramsar participation and development of the wise-use concept, emphasizing local communities and sustainable wetland management.
Research, Conservation Organizations and Contemporary Challenges
| Various authors | Earth System Governance | June 2026
Uses Iran's Bakhtegan Ramsar Site to examine institutional networks, governance weaknesses and relationships among government agencies, technical institutions and social stakeholders.
| Times of India | Times of India | January 2026
Reports results from the Asian Waterbird Census at Bhindawas Ramsar Site and discusses habitat degradation, declining water availability, invasive plants and climate-related changes in bird migration.
| The Guardian | The Guardian | 5 June 2025
Investigates groundwater decline and ecological deterioration affecting internationally important wetlands in Australia's Limestone Coast, including Ramsar-listed Piccaninnie Ponds and Bool and Hacks Lagoons.
| Times of India | Times of India | June 2025
Reports proposals for a dedicated management authority for India's Ashtamudi Ramsar wetland in response to sewage, solid waste, encroachment and other environmental pressures.
| The Guardian | The Guardian | 13 February 2025
Examines efforts to restore Bogotá's Ramsar-recognized urban wetlands amid pollution, urban development, drought, flood risk and pressure from infrastructure projects.
| Various authors | Mires and Peat | 2025
Reviews policy options for peatland conservation and restoration and assesses Ramsar as an international mechanism supporting protected areas, sustainable use and cooperation on peatlands.
| U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre | U4 | 2025
Examines corruption and governance risks that can undermine wetland conservation and restoration, including problems involving land allocation, development, financing and environmental decision-making.
| Associated Press | AP News | 2024
Examines efforts by Indigenous Maya communities in Mexico to protect sacred cenotes from pollution and development in a landscape recognized for international wetland importance.
| Environmental Conventions Index | Environmental Governance | n.d.
Provides indicators for assessing national Ramsar implementation, including wetland policy, agriculture, forestry, biodiversity planning, site designation and management.
Australian Ramsar Implementation and Management
Explains the national framework for describing ecological character and how baseline ecological information can support monitoring, impact assessment and Ramsar Site management.
Explains Ramsar Information Sheets, Ecological Character Descriptions and management plans and their roles in documenting and protecting Australian Ramsar Sites.
Describes legal protections for Ramsar Sites under Australia's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and explains when potentially damaging activities require federal assessment.
Explains limits of acceptable change as a management tool for understanding whether important ecological components, processes and services of Ramsar wetlands are changing.
| Australian Government | Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water | 2026
Provides an overview of Australia's Ramsar network, which includes inland, coastal, marine, permanent and ephemeral wetlands across a wide range of climatic regions.
Explains Australia's statutory Ramsar management principles, including ecological-character protection, management planning, consultation, monitoring and sustainable resource management.
| Australian Government | Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water | 2023
Provides managers with tools and information for responding to climate-driven ecological change in Australia's Ramsar wetlands.
Provides Australia's national framework for Ramsar site nomination, boundary mapping, ecological-character descriptions and reporting changes to wetlands.
Explains the respective responsibilities of governments, landowners, Traditional Owners, site managers and other stakeholders in protecting Australian wetlands and fulfilling Ramsar commitments.
Details Australia's process for nominating new Ramsar Sites, including evidence requirements, mapping, stakeholder consultation, management planning and demonstration of international importance.
Ramsar Site Case Studies: Africa, Asia, Europe and North America
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 6 July 2021
Describes Sardinia's Posada River Mouth, a comparatively natural Mediterranean river delta containing alluvial plains, lagoons, reedbeds, salt-tolerant vegetation and wildlife habitat.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 31 March 2021
Profiles Tunisia's Garâa Sejenane, a formerly permanent freshwater lake whose drainage transformed its ecology but which retains globally important plant populations and seasonal wetland habitat.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 2 February 2021
Profiles the Sasmuan Pampanga Coastal Wetlands in Manila Bay and their mudflats, mangroves, aquaculture areas and importance to migratory birds on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 16 October 2020
Profiles Madagascar's Ambaro Bay mangroves, which support threatened birds, lemurs, fisheries, coastal livelihoods, carbon sequestration and protection from storms and sea-level rise.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 26 August 2020
Describes the Lower Wisconsin Riverway, a largely free-flowing river corridor of sloughs, marshes, bottomland forests and sand habitats connected to the Mississippi River system.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 22 May 2020
Describes Myanmar's Nanthar Island and Mayyu Estuary, an important refuge for spoon-billed sandpipers, marine turtles, mangroves and coastal communities.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 2 February 2020
Reviews ten Indian wetlands added to the Ramsar List, illustrating the diversity of reservoirs, marshes, flood-control systems, bird habitats and community-dependent wetland landscapes.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 9 September 2019
Examines Montenegro's Ulcinj Salina, a former commercial saltworks that has become a major wintering, nesting and stopover site for birds on the Adriatic Flyway.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 1 February 2019
Profiles Hatta Mountain Reserve, a rare Arabian mountain freshwater ecosystem supporting threatened mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and exceptionally diverse dragonfly communities.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 12 April 2018
Profiles Spain's Marjal de Almenara, a coastal marsh system supporting threatened birds, endemic fish, freshwater lagoons, dunes and internationally important wetland habitats.
Additional Ramsar Site Case Studies
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 1 February 2022
Describes South Africa's Berg Estuary, a highly important west-coast estuary containing saltmarsh, rare vegetation, waterbird habitat and nursery areas for economically and ecologically important fish.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 1 February 2022
Profiles Khijadia Wildlife Sanctuary and another Indian wetland designation, illustrating how modified and human-created water systems can develop major importance for birds and biodiversity.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 23 April 2020
Describes Thailand's Lower Songkhram River, where seasonal flooding creates a vast floodplain supporting exceptional fish diversity, fisheries and livelihoods connected to the Mekong River system.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 28 February 2020
Profiles Complejo Los Cobanos in El Salvador, including coral reefs, mangroves, volcanic shorelines, sea turtles and coastal ecosystem services such as flood control and carbon storage.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 20 December 2019
Describes Bogotá's internationally recognized urban wetland complex and the Upper Cauca River and Sonso Lagoon Wetland Complex, highlighting endemic biodiversity and the international importance of urban and floodplain wetlands.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 25 September 2019
Describes two Sahelian wetlands in Burkina Faso whose seasonal water, vegetation and surrounding habitats support resident wildlife and numerous Palearctic migratory birds.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 1 February 2019
Profiles an urban Ramsar Site in Ouagadougou combining protected forest, reservoirs, ponds, wildlife habitat, environmental education, tourism and culturally important sacred areas.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 22 January 2019
Examines the Pô-Nazinga-Sissili protected-area complex in Burkina Faso, an extensive savanna and wetland landscape supporting elephants, migratory birds, ecological corridors and local livelihoods.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 12 November 2018
Profiles California's Elkhorn Slough, a biologically rich estuary containing salt marsh, mudflats, eelgrass beds and habitats for sea otters, fish and hundreds of bird species.
| Convention on Wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 14 June 2018
Describes Colombia's Lakes of Tarapoto Wetlands Complex, an Amazonian system supporting freshwater fish, river dolphins, threatened mammals and the livelihoods of Indigenous Ticuna, Cocama and Yagua communities.
