Wetlands, biodiversity and the ramsar convention informea. We have, as members of the south african wetland society, a. A team of environmentalists under the leadership of dr carin van ginkel of cripsis environment developed a field guide that will lead to easy identification of south african wetland plants. Interim report ir02063 land and water use of wetlands in. The n14i information will serve to identify te current status of u. Approximately 300 000 wetlands remain, making up only 2. Directories of wetlands are published for asia scott.
Pdf african wetlands and their seasonal use by wild and domestic. South africa has designated 12 wetlands which have been or are to be included in the list of wetlands of international importance the list and has a number of international law obligations which arise from this listing. In south africa there are many terms commonly used to refer to wetlands, including marsh, sponge, vlei afrikaans, and ixhaposi zulu. South african wetland society wetland delineation working group position statement on wetland delineation august 2014 2 page overview statement 1. A directory of important wetlands in australia wikipedia. A summary of the manual was presented to the first meeting of the conference of. It is sad to observe that the country is fast losing her wetlands, as the rich wetlands are being seriously threatened by a number of. Wide variation exists within wetland ecosystems, but it is considered feasible to have a general set of criteria to guide and standardise delineation. A nongovernmental wetland conservation programme established in 1991 a partnership between two of sas largest conservation ngo s wessa and wwf together with the funding from two corporates mazda wildlife fund and mondi ltd. Case studies on coastal wetlands and water resources in. The programme was started with the aim to raise awareness of the strategic importance of wetlands to facilitate proper. About the directory to develop a directory of important wetlands in australia the directory is an ambitious undertaking that encompasses a number of important elements. A directory of afrotropical wetlands of international importance.
Which of the soil forms in the south african soil classification system are wetland soils. Coordinated waterbird count s cwac is coordinated by the animal demography uni t of the university of cape town. A directory of important wetlands in australia third. Kenya ratified the ramsar convention on wetlands of international importance in 1990. A directory of important wetlands in australia diwa is a list of wetlands of national importance to australia. The directory not only identifies important wetlands, it provides a substantial knowledge base of what defines wetlands, their variety and the dependence on them of many flora and fauna species. The term wetland was developed out of a need to manage these specific areas, for which several definitions exist. A version of the full text is available online in html format. In cold areas such as ireland and canada many of the wetlands have peat soils. In order to begin improving the management and protection of wetlands, one needs to have a better understanding of how wetlands function. The center for african wetlands caw was established in 2000 as a subregional initiative with a mission to contribute to the preservation of the global, subregional, national and local values of wetlands for.
A directory of african wetlands iucn library system. Our vision is a world where wetlands are treasured and nurtured for their beauty, the life they support and the resources they provide. A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded by water, either permanently or seasonally. View the sites in the ramsar sites information service. The land is either temporarily or permanently covered with shallow water. The depth of the water table changes from year to year and season to season, depending on the amount of rainfall and how much. In southern africa, wetlands of different types are an integral part of the drainage network, yet evolve and are sensitive to different combinations of geologic, climatic, geomorphic, edaphic and hydrologic controls. A directory of important wetlands in australia third edition. As of 2019 there are 2,341 ramsar sites, covering 252,479,417 hectares. Contribute your data to the national wetlands inventory introduction.
A directory of wetlands in new zealand begins with an introduction which summarizes the general situation of the wetlands in new zealand, and provides information on the institutional and legal base for wetland conservation and research. The wetlands included in this third edition ofa directory of important wetlands in australiaprovide a biogeographically based statewide sample of wetlands which meet the criteria for inclusion. A directory of important wetlands in australia introduction a directory of important wetlands in australia is a cooperative project involving the australian and state and territory governments. Wetlands underpin the livelihoods of people and their integrity is fundamental to national development. The uganda wetlands atlas, volume ii presents a comprehensive overview of the state and pressures on the wetlands in various parts of the country. Wetlands are areas where terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems come together. Contribute your data to the national wetlands inventory. Lucia estuarine system of south africa a ramsar site, some. Africaeurasian waterbird census africa the south african. Working for wetlands, south africa 1 managing rivers wisely basin countries south africa the two programmes described cover many south african river basins. This article describes the classification of marine, estuarine, and inland aquatic ecosystems, including but not restricted to true wetlands as per the narrow definition as in the south african national water act and discusses recent developments in.
Includes bibliographic references and a directory of individuals who contributed wetlands information. Wetlands south africa has been customised to the south african context, where wetlands are the most threatened of all ecosystems and where poverty and the delivery of basic services are critical issues at the local government level. It is designated by omb circular a16 and the federal geographic data committee as a national geospatial data asset and forms the wetlands layer of the national spatial data. I have no doubt that the directory of wetlands will form the basis for future management of wetlands in sri lanka.
A different format was used for a directory of african wetlands burgis and. The central hub for all wetland related issues in south africa. A directory of important wetlands in australia it is particularly auspicious that both the summary publication of the third edition of the directory and the online database are launched on 2 february 2001world wetlands day. A directory of important wetlands in australia, third edition. Caw center for african wetlands, university of ghana, legon. However, the majority of wetlands which will be rehabilitated in accordance with the manual do not fall within the list. Theme, top 10 migratory birds coming to india newsd may 8, 2020 avoid encroaching lakeshores, water bodies to avert flooding.
Biodiversity, and wetlands in particular, contribute to. Our efforts to promote their importance, loss and damage to wetlands and their biodiversity continue. A directory of african wetlands iucn library system iucn portals. The south african national biodiversity institute sanbi contributes to south africas sustainable development by facilitating access to biodiversity data, generating information and knowledge, building capacity, providing policy advice, showcasing and conserving biodiversity in its national botanical and zoological gardens. I would also like to record our sincere appreciation to the netherlands government for their generous financial support for this national effort. In a subtropical zone wetland, such as one along the gulf of mexico, a typical. Working for water operates in all major catchments, which are too numerous to list. Auditorium 160 seater auditorium for conferences and seminars. List of ramsar wetlands of international importance. A pan is commonly classified as endorheic wetland system that.
The role of the convention on wetlands in the conservation and wise use of biodiversity. Wetlands with peat soils are referred to as bogs or fens. The study, titled easy identification of some south african wetland plants, offers a plethora of plants that people can find in the country. To develop a directory of important wetlands in australia the directory is an ambitious undertaking that encompasses a number of important elements. South africa has lost approximately 50% of the original wetland area. Wetlands that appear in the directory are commonly referred to as diwa wetlands or. In a wetland, the water table is at or near the surface of the ground. In south africa, wetlands are divided into six classes. Economic values of african wetlands kirsten schuijt 1 background and objectives wetlands are ecosystems that occupy about 6% of the worlds land surface. South africa currently has 26 sites designated as wetlands of international importance ramsar sites, with a surface area of 563,005 hectares. O nwankwoala1 abstract wetlands play a very important role in the sustenance of both the surface and groundwater resources of the country. Throughout the world, wetlands produce a range of animals of commercial importance, particularly as food, skins and for sport and the ecotourism business.
Centre for environment education, amnedabad, india. A nongovernmental wetland conservation programme established in 1991 a partnership between two of sas largest conservation ngos wessa and wwf together with the funding from two corporates mazda wildlife fund and mondi ltd. The listings encompass the full range of diversity in natural wetland types occurring within queensland qld blackmanet al. The wetland classification system for the south african wetlands inventory. This is the list of wetlands of international importance as defined by the ramsar convention for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientific, and recreational value. Longterm environmental trends and the future of tropical wetlands. This beta version of the inventory data presents information on the extent, location and distribution of wetlands systems in south africa. Understanding of these controls can help in the interpretation of environmental and climatic records from different wetland types. Pdf african wetlands include dambos or headwater valley grasslands in the upper. The national wetlands inveory nwi is establishing a wetland data base in both map and computer cps for the entire country. South africa has begun devel oping a wetland inventory program, coordinated on a na tional scale and employ ing a standardised m ethodology and classi fication system. It is coordinated by the australian government department of the environment and water resources dew and was first published in 1993.