Ramsar convention

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, is an international treaty that provides the framework for national and international co-operation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

"The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat" was signed at Ramsar, Iran on 2 February 1971 and amended by the Paris Protocol of 3 December 1982. The UK Government signed the Convention in 1973 and Parliament ratified it in 1976.

Contracting parties are required to designate suitable wetlands within their territories for inclusion in the List of Wetlands of International Importance (the list).

Areas should be selected for their ecology, botany, zoology, limnology (study of the phenomena of lakes), and hydrology. At least one site had to be designated for the List at the time of ratification of the convention but Contracting Parties are able to add to the list subsequently or extend the boundaries of a wetland already on the List. Further, a Contracting Party has the right because of "its urgent national interests" to delete or restrict the boundaries of Wetlands already included in the List (Article 2). Where a Contracting Party does so delete all or part of a Listed site, they should as far as possible compensate for the loss by way of alternative provision (Article 4).

The criteria for the identification of wetlands of international importance was agreed at a meeting of Contracting Parties at Montreau in 1990.

There are currently 10 RAMSAR sites in Wales. Further information on the RAMSAR Convention is available from the RAMSAR Bureau.

Visit: RAMSAR sites in Wales: Joint Nature Conservancy Committee Website(external link)

You can also view the latest UK RAMSAR National Report on the Joint Nature Conservancy Committee Website.

Visit: latest UK RAMSAR National Report: Joint Nature Conservancy Committee Website (external link)