Transcript Federal Regulation of Wetlands

Wetlands of International
Importance:
National Wildlife Refuges and
the Ramsar Convention
Royal C. Gardner
U.S. National Ramsar Committee
Steve Atzert
Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge
May 2008 Briefing for the
Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus
Ramsar Convention on
Wetlands
• Signed in Ramsar, Iran in 1971
• Entered into Force in 1975
What Ramsar Does/Does Not Do
Ramsar Does:
Ramsar Does Not:
• Encourage nations to
• Impose restrictions on
promote wetlands
conservation and list
wetlands of international
importance as Ramsar
sites
• Provide wise use
guidelines, training
opportunities, and access
to financial resources
nations and landowners
• Affect sovereignty rights
– site listing is voluntary
• Act as a regulating entity
or a UN convention
Wetlands of International Importance
• Site Contains Representative, Rare, or
Unique Wetland Types
• Site Supports Vulnerable, Endangered, or
Critically Endangered Species
• Site Supports Plant/Animal Populations
Important for Regional Biodiversity
Wetlands of International Importance
• Site Regularly Supports 1% of Population of
Waterbird Species/Subspecies
• Site Supports Plant/Animal Species at a
Critical Stage in Life Cycles
• Site Regularly Supports 20,000 or More
Waterbirds
Wetlands of International Importance
• Site Supports Significant
Proportion of Indigenous Fish Species That Are
Representative of Wetland Benefits/Values
• Site Is an Important Source of Food for Fish,
Spawning Ground, Nursery and/or Migration Path
• Site Regularly Supports 1% of Population of
Species/Subspecies of Wetland-Dependent, NonAvian Animal Species
Ramsar Worldwide
• 158 parties,
including the U.S.
• Ninth COP in
Uganda in 2005;
Tenth COP in ROK
in 2008
• More than 1740
sites designated
covering almost
400 million acres –
24 in U.S. with over
3 million acres
Alaska:
Izembek NWR
Arkansas:
Cache River NWR
White River NWR
California:
Merced NWR
San Luis NWR
Tijuana Slough NWR
Delaware:
Bombay Hook NWR
Prime Hook NWR
Florida:
Okefenokee NWR
Pelican Island NWR
Georgia:
Okefenokee NWR
Illinois:
Cypress Creek NWR
Kansas:
Quivira NWR
Louisiana:
Catahoula NWR
South Dakota:
Sand Lake NWR
Maryland:
Blackwater NWR
Eastern Neck NWR
Martin NWR
Texas:
Caddo Lake NWR
Nevada:
Ash Meadows NWR
Virginia:
Mason Neck NWR
Presquile NWR
New Jersey:
Cape May NWR
Edwin B. Forsythe NWR
Supawna Meadows NWR
Wisconsin:
Horicon NWR
U.S. National Ramsar Committee
• Mission: Support the goals and objectives of
the Ramsar Convention within the U.S. and
internationally
• Members: NGOs that have an interest in
Ramsar issues
• Observers: Representatives of U.S. agencies
(FWS, State, EPA, Forest Service, NOAA)
• www.ramsarcommittee.us
Survey of U.S. Ramsar Sites
• Site Identification with Ramsar
• Benefits of Ramsar Designation
• Recommendations to Strengthen
Ramsar in the United States
Benefits of Ramsar Designation
• Increase Pride in Site
• Increase Local Awareness of Importance
of Site
Benefits of Ramsar Designation
• Increased Funding
Opportunities
– NAWCA Grants
– Land and Water
Conservation Fund
– NFWF and Other
Grants
Benefits of Ramsar Designation
• Support for Protection of Site
and Surrounding Areas
– Acquisition of Surrounding Lands
– Encourages Watershed Conservation
Partnerships
– Invocation of Status in Response to Proposed
Development
Benefits of Ramsar Designation
• Increased Scientific Studies and Tourism
Activity
– Izembek (eel grass studies)
– Caddo Lake
(environmental flows
studies)
– Catahoula Lake
(vegetation and lakebed elevation studies)
Ramsar Designation Process
• Scientific
– must meet at least one of the nine ecological
criteria
• Political
– all landowners must consent
– letters of support from state natural resources
agency and at least one Member of Congress
Edwin B. Forsythe NWR, NJ
• One of the first four Ramsar sites designated by
the United States -- Dec. 18, 1986
– The other three sites were:
–Izembek Lagoon NWR, AK
–Okefenokee NWR, GA & FL
–Ash Meadows NWR, NV
Since EBFNWR Ramsar
Designation
• Barnegat Bay National Estuary designated
in 1997 -- One of 28 sites
• Jacques Cousteau National Estuary
Research Reserve designated in 1998 –
One of 27 sites
• EBFNWR designated a Western
Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network
site in 2001 – One of 40 sites in the US
Since EBFNWR Ramsar
Designation
• The New Jersey Green Acres Program has
steeped in to acquire lands
• The Ocean County Open Space program
has stepped in to acquire lands
• Congress has added several million dollars
in the LWCF for land acquisition
• Refuge acquisition boundary expanded
three times by a total of over 13,000 acres
Since EBFNWR Ramsar
designation
• Refuge featured in Atlantic County
birdwatching guide
• Return to economy from recreation use on
the refuge is $5.05 for each $1 in federal
budgeted funding (Banking on Nature
2006, USFWS)
Since EBFNWR Ramsar
Designation
• The Service has acquired over 13,000 acres for
•
the refuge
The refuge expansion permanently protects the
wetlands. Wetlands are among the world’s most
productive habitats. In addition to tourism and
recreational value wetlands provide many other
economic benefits, water supply and
purification, fisheries production, stabilization of
local climate conditions and disturbance
regulation.
Thank you for your attention.
Royal C. Gardner
U.S. National Ramsar Committee
Stetson University College of Law
[email protected]
Steve Atzert
Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge
[email protected]