Wetlands of International Importance: National Wildlife Refuges and the Ramsar Convention May 2008 Briefing for the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus Royal C. Gardner U.S. National Ramsar Committee Steve Atzert Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge

Ramsar Convention on Wetlands Signed in Ramsar, Iran in 1971 Signed in Ramsar, Iran in 1971 Entered into Force in 1975 Entered into Force in 1975

What Ramsar Does/Does Not Do Ramsar Does: Encourage nations to promote wetlands conservation and list wetlands of international importance as Ramsar sites Encourage nations to promote wetlands conservation and list wetlands of international importance as Ramsar sites Provide wise use guidelines, training opportunities, and access to financial resources Provide wise use guidelines, training opportunities, and access to financial resources Ramsar Does Not: Impose restrictions on nations and landowners Impose restrictions on nations and landowners Affect sovereignty rights – site listing is voluntary Affect sovereignty rights – site listing is voluntary Act as a regulating entity or a UN convention Act as a regulating entity or a UN convention

Site Contains Representative, Rare, or Site Contains Representative, Rare, or Unique Wetland Types Unique Wetland Types Site Supports Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered Species Site Supports Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered Species Site Supports Plant/Animal Populations Important for Regional Biodiversity Site Supports Plant/Animal Populations Important for Regional Biodiversity Wetlands of International Importance

Site Regularly Supports 1% of Population of Waterbird Species/Subspecies Site Regularly Supports 1% of Population of Waterbird Species/Subspecies Site Supports Plant/Animal Species at a Critical Stage in Life Cycles Site Supports Plant/Animal Species at a Critical Stage in Life Cycles Site Regularly Supports 20,000 or More Waterbirds Site Regularly Supports 20,000 or More Waterbirds Wetlands of International Importance

Site Supports Significant Site Supports Significant Proportion of Indigenous Fish Species That Are Proportion of Indigenous Fish Species That Are Representative of Wetland Benefits/Values Representative of Wetland Benefits/Values Site Is an Important Source of Food for Fish, Spawning Ground, Nursery and/or Migration Path 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, Non- Avian Animal Species Site Regularly Supports 1% of Population of Species/Subspecies of Wetland-Dependent, Non- Avian Animal Species

Ramsar Worldwide 158 parties, including the U.S. 158 parties, including the U.S. Ninth COP in Uganda in 2005; Tenth COP in ROK in 2008 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 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 Maryland: Blackwater NWR Eastern Neck NWR Martin NWR Nevada: Ash Meadows NWR New Jersey: Cape May NWR Edwin B. Forsythe NWR Supawna Meadows NWR South Dakota: Sand Lake NWR Texas: Caddo Lake NWR Virginia: Mason Neck NWR Presquile 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 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 Members: NGOs that have an interest in Ramsar issues Observers: Representatives of U.S. agencies (FWS, State, EPA, Forest Service, NOAA) Observers: Representatives of U.S. agencies (FWS, State, EPA, Forest Service, NOAA)

Survey of U.S. Ramsar Sites Site Identification with Ramsar Site Identification with Ramsar Benefits of Ramsar Designation Benefits of Ramsar Designation Recommendations to Strengthen Ramsar in the United States Recommendations to Strengthen Ramsar in the United States

Benefits of Ramsar Designation Increase Pride in Site Increase Pride in Site Increase Local Awareness of Importance of Site Increase Local Awareness of Importance of Site

Benefits of Ramsar Designation Increased Funding Opportunities 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 Support for Protection of Site and Surrounding Areas –Acquisition of Surrounding Lands –Encourages Watershed Conservation Partnerships –Invocation of Status in Response to Proposed Development

Increased Scientific Studies and Tourism Activity Increased Scientific Studies and Tourism Activity –Izembek (eel grass studies) –Caddo Lake (environmental flows (environmental flowsstudies) –Catahoula Lake (vegetation and lakebed elevation studies) (vegetation and lakebed elevation studies) Benefits of Ramsar Designation

Ramsar Designation Process Scientific Scientific –must meet at least one of the nine ecological criteria Political 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 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 Steve Atzert Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge