The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. It is also known as the Convention on Wetlands. It is named after the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the Convention was signed in 1971.
Every three years, representatives of the Contracting Parties
meet as the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP), the
policy-making organ of the Convention which adopts decisions
(Resolutions and Recommendations) to administer the work of the
Convention and improve the way in which the Parties are able to
implement its objectives. COP12 was held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, in 2015. COP13 was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in October 2018.
The Upper Navua Conservation Area Ramsar Site in Fiji
Sustainable fishing in India, an example of wise use.
List of Wetlands of International Importance (the "Ramsar List")
Archipel Bolama-Bijagos Ramsar Site in Guinea-Bissau
The List of Wetlands of International Importance included 2,331 Ramsar Sites in May 2018 covering over 2.1 million square kilometres (810,000 sq mi). The countries with most sites are the United Kingdom with 175 and Mexico with 142. And, the country with the greatest area of listed wetlands is Bolivia, with around 148,000 square kilometres (57,000 sq mi).
The Ramsar Sites Information Service (RSIS) is a searchable database which provides information on each Ramsar Site.
International cooperation
Wadden Sea is a Transboundary Ramsar Site covering 13 Ramsar sites in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands
As of 2016 there are 18 Transboundary Ramsar Sites, and 15 Ramsar Regional Initiatives covering regions of the Mediterranean, Asia, Africa and South America.
International organization partners
The Ramsar Convention works closely with six other organisations known as International Organization Partners (IOPs). These are:
These organizations support the work of the Convention by providing
expert technical advice, helping implement field studies, and providing
financial support. The IOPs also participate regularly as observers in
all meetings of the Conference of the Parties and as full members of the
Scientific and Technical Review Panel.
Other partners
The Convention collaborates with a network of partners:
Project funding bodies including global environmental funds, multilateral development banks and bilateral donors;
UN agencies such as UNEP, UNDP, UNESCO and the UN Economic Commission for Europe, and specific programmes such as UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme;
Non-governmental organizations including the Nature Conservancy, Conservation International, the Society of Wetland Scientists, the International Association for Impact Assessment, and many others;
Since 1998 the Convention has also benefited from a strong partnership with the Danone Group including the Evian brand, and since 2007 from the Biosphere Connections partnership with the Star Alliance airline network.
Bodies established by the Convention
Conference of contracting Parties (COP)
This is the Convention's governing body consisting of all governments
that have ratified the treaty. This ultimate authority reviews progress
under the Convention, identifies new priorities, and sets work plans
for members. The COP can also make amendments to the Convention, create
expert advisory bodies, review progress reports by member nations, and
collaborate with other international organizations and agreements.
The Standing Committee
The Standing Committee is the intersessional executive body which
represents the COP between its triennial meetings, within the framework
of the decisions made by the COP. The Contracting Parties that are
members of the Standing Committee are elected by each meeting of the COP
to serve for the three years until the next one.
The Ramsar Secretariat offices in Gland, Switzerland
The Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP)
The Scientific and Technical Review Panel provides scientific and
technical guidance to the Conference of the Parties, the Standing
Committee, and the Ramsar Secretariat.
The Secretariat
The Secretariat carries out the day-to-day coordination of the
Convention's activities. It is based at the headquarters of the
International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Gland, Switzerland.
The implementation of the Ramsar Convention is a continuing
partnership between the Contracting Parties, the Standing Committee, and
the Convention Secretariat, with the advice of the subsidiary expert
body, the Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP), and the support
of the International Organization Partners (IOPs).
Martha Rojas Urrego is the sixth Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
World Wetlands Day
A wetland clean-up in Oman on World Wetlands Day
The 2nd of February each year is World Wetlands Day, marking
the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February
1971. Established to raise awareness about the value of wetlands for
humanity and the planet, WWD was celebrated for the first time in 1997
and has grown remarkably since then. In 2015 World Wetlands Day was
celebrated in 59 countries.
History
The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance – the "Ramsar Convention", was co-founded by Ezkandar Firouz
(former environment minister of Iran), Luc Hoffmann of Tour du Valat
research station in the Camargue in France, and Geoffrey Matthews of the
Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust at Slimbridge in the late 1960s. The
conference which adopted the terms of the agreement was held in the
Iranian Caspian city of Ramsar on 2 February 1971.
Point Pelee National Park (/ˈpiːliː/; French: Parc national de la Pointe-Pelée) is a national park in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada where it extends into Lake Erie. The word pelée
is French for 'bald'. Point Pelee consists of a peninsula of land,
mainly of marsh and woodland habitats, that tapers to a sharp point as
it extends into Lake Erie. Middle Island, also part of Point Pelee National Park, was acquired in 2000 and is just north of the Canada–United States border in Lake Erie. Point Pelee is the southernmost point of mainland Canada,
and is located on a foundation of glacial sand, silt and gravel that
bites into Lake Erie. This spit of land is slightly more than seven
kilometres long by 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) wide at its northern base.
Established in 1918, Point Pelee was the first national park in Canada
to be established for conservation. It was designated as a Ramsar site on 27 May 1987.
History
Aboriginal people lived on Point Pelee for a long time before European colonization, dating back to at least 6,000 years. The largest archaeological site found at Point Pelee is thought to have been occupied between AD 700 and 900.
The name was given to the area by Fathers Dollier and Galinee when they passed through the area in 1670.
In the late 1700s, British naval reserves logged the area's white pine for shipbuilding.
In 1790, Deputy Indian Agent Alexander McKee negotiated a treaty with
Aboriginal communities that ceded a large tract of land, which included
Point Pelee, to the Crown. The Caldwell First Nation
Chippewa people, who inhabited Point Pelee, were not signatories of
that treaty. However, the Crown did not realize this, and their land was
ceded nonetheless. Subsequently, they were forced off their land, and
Point Pelee remains unceded aboriginal land. This has been publicly
acknowledged by the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.
Prior to the creation of the park, the Great Lakes Ornithological
Club was established to study bird migration. One of the members, Percy A. Taverner, and Canada's first Dominion Ornithologist, recommended Point Pelee be made a national park in 1915. Jack Miner had also pushed for the creation of the park by that time. Point Pelee was made a national park in 1918 at the urging of birdwatchers
and hunters. Commercial fishing continued in the park until 1969. Point
Pelee was the only Canadian national park to allow hunting until duck
hunting was ended in 1989. This site was named "Pointe-Pelée" (meaning
"bald point" by French explorers because the eastern side was rocky and had no trees).
Point Pelee was designated a dark-sky preserve in 2006, having become the first Canadian national park to be designated as such. In March 2006, high winds caused waves that washed away the sand point and all that remained was a platform.
In October 2007 the level of Lake Erie dropped enough to reveal the
point again extending at least a kilometre out into the water and at
least 7 metres (23 ft) wide with a winding curve shape to it. Since that time the sandy tip continues to shift, grow longer or shorter, or even detach temporarily, from year to year.
Geography
Pelee Island location
Located in the western parts of the St. Lawrence Lowlands, the park is a sandspit formation that extends 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) into Lake Erie and is up to 70 metres (230 ft) thick. With an area of only 1,564 hectares (3,860 acres), it is Canada's smallest national park. Most of the park (about 1,113 hectares (2,750 acres) or 70% of the park consists of marsh, dominated by cattails and ponds although forested areas make up a significant portion of the park, covering about 21% of the park. This sandspit is dominated by till plains which was formed during the last ice age during the advance and retreat of the Wisconsonian ice
on a submerged limestone ridge. As the glacier melted and retreated
northward, the Lake Erie basin began to fill with water. The movement of
sediments altered the coastline, resulting in the present day shape of
Point Pelee. Subsequently, over the centuries, a thin but rich soil has formed. Mineral soils in the park were mapped as well to rapidly drained Eastport sand, which has insignificant profile development. The marshes began to form about 3,200 years ago, based on carbon dating. This was also the same time when the sands began to deposit, forming the present day barriers.
The marsh has a closed drainage system owing to the separation of it by
two barriers along the east and west side, which usually prevents the
free exchange of water. However, when lake levels are higher, the marsh water levels fluctuate with the lake's water levels. The distinctive triangular shape at the southern tip of Point Pelee is caused by the convergence of these two barriers.
Middle Island, which is located south of the Point Pelee peninsula has
an area of approximately 18.5 hectares (46 acres) and is the southernmost point in Canada. Virtually all of Middle Island is forested.
Flora and fauna
Barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) at Point Peele National Park in May 2010
Owing to its southernly location and the moderating effects of Lake
Erie, the climate in the park is slightly warmer than the rest of Canada and many Carolinian faunal species, which are rare in Canada are located here. Examples include the fox snake and the five-lined skink.
Because of its location at the crossroads of 2 major migration flyways,
about 347- 360 different species of migratory birds have been recorded
in the park and more than 100 species stay there for breeding. This total includes 102 waterfowl and shorebird species. Dominic Couzen's Top 100 Birding Sites of the World lists Point Pelee as #66. Coyotes and martens are also present within this park.
Many Carolinian floral species that are rare in Canada occur within the
park boundaries. The park contains more than 750 native plant species, of these 8 species are considered to be rare, endangered or threatened in Canada. Nearby Middle Island is designated provincially as an Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) due to its unique and rare assemblages of plants and animals.
Middle island is home to plants and animals that are characteristic of
the Carolinian ecozone of which nine species are at risk.
The diversity of vegetation in the marsh is the highest along the edge
of the marsh ponds and in the transitional zones between the terrestrial
environments and the marsh. Four different vegetation communities dominate in the marsh.
Climate
Point Pelee has a humid continental climate (Dfa under the Köppen climate classification) with warm, humid summers, and cold winters that is modified by the surrounding waters of Lake Erie. It lies in a zone that is characterized by variable weather due to conflict between polar and tropical air masses.
Its position in Lake Erie modifies its climate, resulting in warmer
winter and fall temperatures compared to inland regions, as the lake
cools more slowly than the surrounding land though during the spring,
temperatures remain cooler than inland areas due to the land warming
faster than the lake.
Winters are cold with a January average temperature of −3.9 °C
(25.0 °F). Owing to its position in Lake Erie, winter temperatures are
warmer than inland locations at a similar latitude due to the release of
the heat stored by the lake.
As a result, temperatures below −20 °C (−4.0 °F) are rare, with only
1.9 days where the temperature reaches or falls below −20 °C (−4.0 °F).
The maximum temperature usually stays below freezing on most days
although mild spells of weather can occur time to time. The park
receives 98.9 centimetres (38.9 in) of snowfall per year and there are
30.6 days with measurable snow. The park is not located in the snowbelt region, and snow cover is intermittent through the winter.
Summers are warm and humid with the warmest month, July, averaging 22.4 °C (72.3 °F), which is among the highest in Ontario. The surrounding lake moderates summertime temperatures, cooling the flow of warm air masses originating from the Gulf of Mexico and as a result, temperatures above 30 °C (86.0 °F) are rare, with only 4–8 days per year in the park.
From
a regional perspective, the park is isolated from other natural areas
because in Essex County, less than 6% of the native forest cover and 3%
of the wetlands remain intact. Much of the area (97% of it) has been altered and mostly converted for agriculture, industry or urban development. It is also located close to major urban areas.
Bird-watching
It
forms the southernmost point in mainland Canada (its latitude is the
same as that of the northernmost counties of California) and is part of a
bird and butterfly migration corridor over Lake Erie via Point Pelee
and the Lake Erie islands. Over 360 bird species have been recorded in
the park. The peak time for bird migration is spring, especially May, when tired migrants make first landfall after their journey north across the lake.
Many birdwatchers from North America and abroad visit the park in May, often staying in the nearby town of Leamington.
One attraction, apart from the sheer numbers and variety of bird
passing through on migration, is the opportunity to see more northerly
breeding species such as blackpoll warbler before they move on.
Occurrences
March 2017 marsh fire
On
29 March 2017, Point Pelee's marsh land was involved in a fire causing
over 125 hectares (310 acres) of marsh habitat to be destroyed. The fire
lasted 15 hours and was naturally extinguished due to rainfall the
following day.
Commemoration
Point
Pelee National Park was featured on a high-value ($5) postage stamp,
issued in 1983, as part of a series honoring national parks. The park
appeared on a stamp that was issued on 15 January 2018, with a $1.20
face value. The issue coincides with the park's centennial year, and is
part of a nine-stamp set featuring scenic views across the country.
Dinosaur Provincial Park is a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site located about two-and-a-half hours drive east of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; or 48 kilometres (30 mi), about a half-hour drive northeast of Brooks.
The park is situated in the valley of the Red Deer River, which is noted for its striking badland topography. The park is well known for being one of the richest dinosaur
fossil locales in the world. Fifty-eight dinosaur species have been
discovered at the park and more than 500 specimens have been removed and
exhibited in museums around the globe. The renowned fossil assemblage
of nearly 500 species of life, from microscopic fern spores to large carnivorous dinosaurs, justified its becoming a World Heritage Site in 1979.
Dinosaur Provincial Park Visitor Centre
The
Dinosaur Provincial Park Visitor Centre features exhibits about
dinosaurs, fossils, and the geology and natural history of the park.
There is a video theatre, fossil prep lab area, and a gift shop. Public
programs are offered in the summer.
John Ware's Cabin is a restored early 20th century cabin that was used by John Ware, an African-Americancowboy
and important figure in Alberta's ranching history. The cabin is
located near the visitor centre and is open on select days in the
summer.
History
Established
on June 27, 1955 as part of Alberta's 50th Jubilee Year with the goal
of protecting the fossil beds, the first warden was Roy Fowler
(1902-1975), a farmer and amateur fossil hunter.
The park was established as a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site on October 26, 1979 both for its nationally significant badlands and riverside riparian habitats, and for the international importance of the fossils found there.
The park protects a very complex ecosystem including three communities: prairie grasslands, badlands, and riverside cottonwoods. Its ecosystem is surrounded by prairies but is unique unto itself. Choruses of coyotes are common at dusk, as are the calls of nighthawks. Cottontail rabbits, mule deer, and pronghorn can all be seen in the park; the prairie rattlesnake, bull snake and the red-sided garter snake are present as well. Curlews and Canada geese
are among the 165 bird species that can be seen in the spring and
summer. Some of the most northern species of cactus, including Opuntia (prickly pear) and Pediocactus (pincushion) can be observed in full bloom during the later half of June.
Geology
The sediments exposed in the badlands at Dinosaur Provincial Park were laid down over a period of about 1.5 million years during the Campanian stage of the Late Cretaceous epoch, and belong to three different geologic formations. The top of the terrestrial Oldman Formation, which outcrops at the base of the sequence, is the oldest. It is overlain by a complete section of the terrestrial Dinosaur Park Formation, which is in turn overlain by the base of the marine Bearpaw Formation.
The Dinosaur Park Formation, which contains most of the articulated
dinosaur skeletons, was laid down between about 76.5 and 74.8 million
years ago. It was deposited in floodplain and coastal plain environments by river systems that flowed eastward and southeastward to the Western Interior Seaway.
Paleontology
The badlands near the entrance of the park
Dinosaur Provincial Park preserves an extraordinarily diverse group of freshwater vertebrates. Fish include sharks, rays (such as the durophageMyledaphus), paddlefish, bowfins, gars, and teleosts. Amphibians include frogs, salamanders, and the extinct albanerpetontids. Reptiles include lizards (such as the large monitor Palaeosaniwa), a wide range of turtles, crocodilians, and the fish-eating Champsosaurus.
Mammal fossils from the park are relatively rare and consist of
isolated teeth, fragmentary jaws with teeth, and tooth fragments from
mouse-sized and shrew-sized animals. They include representatives of placental, marsupial, and multituberculate mammals.
