and the ramsar convention

Wetlands are areas of land where covers the soil – permanently or just at certain times. They include: rivers, , , billabongs, lakes, , oases, saltmarshes, , , coral reefs, , , and peatlands. Wetlands can be natural or artificial and the water within a may be static or flowing, fresh, brackish or saline. There are even underground wetlands.

Why are wetlands important? What is the Ramsar Convention? Wetlands provide people with many Concerns about the loss of wetlands and environmental, social and economic services. waterbirds throughout Europe in the 1960s led On a global scale wetlands provide services to the creation of the first modern international estimated to be worth US$4.9 trillion annually. treaty aimed at managing natural resources Wetlands are used for recreational activities sustainably. The Convention on Wetlands including boating, fishing, swimming, water of International Importance (the Ramsar skiing and bird-watching. They protect our Convention) was signed in Ramsar, on shores from wave action and reduce the 2 February 1971. The Ramsar Convention impacts of floods. Wetlands also provide direct aims to halt the worldwide loss of all wetlands benefits to our primary industries. They form and to conserve, through wise use and nurseries for that are critical to ’s management, those that remain. commercial and recreational fishing industries, The Convention encourages member countries and filter water helping to reduce high levels of to nominate sites that are important for nutrients such as phosphorous and nitrogen ecological, botanical, zoological, limnological in agricultural runoff. Their natural ability to or hydrological significance, to the List of filter water has been used commercially to Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar treat wastewater from industry and mining, and sites). Member countries are obliged to sewage effluent. promote the conservation of Ramsar wetlands and wise use of all wetlands and work to ensure that Ramsar sites are managed to protect their ecological character. To mark the anniversary of the signing of the treaty, World Wetlands Day is celebrated on 2 February each year to raise public awareness about wetlands and promote their conservation and wise use.

www.environment.gov.au/wetlands What is Australia’s involvement in the Convention? Australia was one of the first countries to Australia’s Ramsar sites cover around sign the Ramsar Convention, and in 1974 8.1 million hectares, forming an impressive designated the world’s first : estate of diverse wetland types; freshwater and Cobourg Peninsula in the Northern Territory. marine; permanent and ephemeral; in every The Environment Protection and climatic zone. Our Ramsar estate includes: Conservation Act 1999 provides a framework • coral reefs like Ashmore Reef National for protecting their ecological character and Nature Reserve managing our Ramsar sites in accordance with • shoals, mangroves and tidal flats the Convention. such as Queensland’s Key actions to implement the convention in • inland lakes, billabongs and floodplains like Australia include: Victoria’s Barmah Forest • developing national guidance on • artificial lakes such as Western Australia’s implementing the Convention in Australia Lakes Argyle and Kununurra • providing funds to support the conservation • monsoonal rivers and tropical floodplains and wise use of our Ramsar sites of in the Northern • developing Ecological Character Territory Descriptions for all Australian Ramsar sites • coastal lagoons such as Tasmania’s Jocks • participating in the Partnership for the Conservation of Migratory Waterbirds in the • alpine cirques like Blue Lake in Kosciusko East Asian – Australasian Flyway National Park, New South Wales • participation in international treaties for • arid, ephemeral lakes such as South the protection of migratory birds: Japan- Australia’s , and Australia Migratory Bird Agreement, China- • sub-alpine sphagnum bogs like the Australia Migratory Bird Agreement and the Australian Capital Territory’s Ginini Flats Republic of Korea-Australia Migratory Bird Wetland Complex. Agreement • regularly reviewing Ramsar site condition More information • working with state and territory governments More information on Australia’s wetlands and to promote the conservation Ramsar sites the Ramsar Convention in Australia is available and wise use of all wetlands, and from: www.environment.gov.au/wetlands or the • coordinating and facilitating collaboration Ramsar Convention website: www.ramsar.org. between the Convention’s Oceania member countries. WAT053.1110

Image credits: GBRMPA, A Fox & DSEWPaC, B Gray & DSEWPaC, N Bryden & DSEWPaC, Brian Furby Collection, Y Webster & DSEWPaC