Side event details | Convention on Wetlands Contacts Database

The Natural Flow of Water – Key to conservation and restoration of wetland biodiversity

Room

Day and time

10.11.2022 13:15

Lead organization

Korea Wetland NGO Network / Ramsar Network Japan

Partner organization(s)

World Wetland Network(WWN), International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust(WWT), East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership(EAAFP)

Details

The goal 1 of the 4th strategic plan 2016-2024 articulates “addressing the drivers of wetland loss and degradation.” In order to achieve this goal and related targets 1 & 2, it is important to address the artificial infrastructures which disturb the Natural Flow of Water. Contracting parties to the Convention on Wetlands have adopted resolutions that stress the importance of Natural Flow of Water many times including resolutions Ⅹ.19, Ⅷ.16.

Global Wetland Outlook special edition 2021 points out that the improvement in wetland ecological character to the extent of implementation of the strategic plan, and that people’s health and livelihood depend on well-managed wetland.

The phrase “Natural Flow of Water” recalls the flow of river water from headwater to river-mouth to the sea. However, the concept of Natural Flow of Water we would like to propose herewith, refers to wetlands, namely, flow in aquifer under mountains, natural water stands still in peatland / bog, exchange of seawater in lagoon, ground water from land to sea under sandy beach, flow of tides in tidal flats, tidal current in the coastal zone / coral reef / inner-bay, and others.
The IUCN Resolution WCC2020-017: Protection of Natural Flows of Water for the conservation of wetlands, focuses on the flows of water in various wetlands indicated above.

The Side Event aims to consider the implementation of the resolutions from various types of Natural Flow of Water as mentioned above. It reviews many types of Natural Flow of Water and artificial structures which disturb Natural Flow of Water including tunnels, dams and weirs, drainage of peatlands/bogs, estuary barrages, tidal dikes. We highlight both good and bad practices, such as dam removal and construction of artificial infrastructure. As an outcome, we will find clues to conservation and restoration of wetland ecosystems by nature-based solution

Program

The Side Event consists of three parts.

Firstly, we introduce IUCN Resolution WCC2020-017, and explain its backgrounds and significance, inviting a speaker from IUCN Water Programme (tbc).

Secondly, some cases with positive and negative impacts on Natural Flow of Water will be reported. We will also share many other cases through a hand-out booklets of summaries of cases collected from all over the world.

Lastly, we will hold a panel discussion on the importance of implementation of the Ramsar Resolutions related to Natural Flow of Water, and on making full use of Nature based Solutions for the restoration of natural flow.