World Wetlands Day is celebrated on February 2nd every year as it marks the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands called Ramsar Convention which took place in the Iranian city of Ramsar near the Caspian Sea on 2 February 1971. The theme for this year’s World Wetlands Day is Wetland Tourism: A Great Experience. For more information, click here.

Ramsar: Message from the Secretary General, click here.

Ramsar: Key Message for 40th Anniversary of Ramsar: "Wetlands, leisure and tourism – take a breath of fresh air", click here.

Are you interested in hiring or contracting with a wetland scientist? When hiring a certified Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS), s/he meets stringent education requirements, has experience, and has agreed to adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct. Click here to search for a professional wetland scientist in your area.  Click on “details” next to a name and see the consulting services listed by the professionals with the specific desired skills. If you are interested in becoming certified, visit the Society of Wetland Scientists Professional Certification Program (SWSPCP) website for more information.

ASWM – January 2012

Section 401 of the federal Clean Water Act provides states with the authority to ensure that federal agencies will not issue permits or licenses that violate the water quality standards, or other applicable authorities, of a state or tribe through a process known as water quality certification.  The importance of Section 401 certification in assuring states continued control over their aquatic resources has been well established. During 2010 and 2011, the Association of State Wetland Managers (ASWM) undertook an assessment of a number of representative state wetland programs that rely on Section 401 in their dredge and fill permit programs – that is, in evaluation of permits issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, as well as other federal permits such as FERC hydropower licenses.  The goal of this assessment was to shed light on the effectiveness of state Section 401 programs, barriers to the full use of this authority, and practices that exemplify the most effective use of Section 401. To read the full report, Section 401 Certification Best Practices in Dredge and Fill Permit Programs, click here.