NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

 

Dear Wetlands Friends:

 

There is positive news trickling in from many diverse parts of the globe this month.  In the United Kingdom, corporations are taking a stand on peat extraction;  in Brazil, the Pantanal, the worlds largest fresh water wetlands is slated to become a World Heritage Site; and on St. Thomas Island, in the Virgin Islands, developers have been stopped in their attempt to build another marina. 

 

Heidi

 

Heidi Luquer

Wetlands NewsLink Editor

Luquer@aswm.org

 

 

 

NEWS FROM WETLANDS FRIENDS

 

Friends of the Earth in the United Kingdom

 

US Corporation Takes the Peat Out of The UK Government

 

The US based Scotts Company is accused of ‘filibustering' over proposals to protect peatbogs, so that they can make a "last-gasp mega-grab" of peat, while tying the Government up in lengthy negotiations.  Public anger over the peat issue has grown rapidly and British retailers have reacted with extraordinary zeal.  B & Q, the equivalent of Home Depot in the United States, sent shockwaves through the industry earlier this year by announcing their plans to become completely peat-free.  The next two largest home and garden retailers have announced that they plan to follow suit.  Wetland campaigners – help the cause by contacting home and garden retailers in your country and ask them to phase out peat sales.  Visit the “Miracle Gone” web site for more information or to log a protest:  www.miracle-gone.co.uk  For a recent article in the Yorkshire Post go to:  http://www.ypn.co.uk/scripts/editorial2.cgi?cid=4&aid=402463&pg=&apg=1.  To learn more about Friends of the Earth go to:  http://www.foe.co.uk/ or contact Craig Bennett, Corporate Campaigner at:  craigb@foe.co.uk

 

 

News from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

 

Coastal Summit:  Reaching for the Future:

U.S. Geological Survey Director Chip Groat spoke to business, industry and government leaders, scientists and others concerned with coastal wetland loss in Louisiana on August 15 at the 2001 Coastal Summit, in Baton Rouge.  Ideas generated from this meeting will be compiled and forwarded to Governor Foster with recommendations for implementation. 

 

 

News From Ramsar:   More New Wetland Sites Join the Convention on Wetlands

 

Lebanon has Named the Palm Islands Nature Reserve (415 hectares, 34deg30'N 035deg46'E) for the List of Wetlands of International Importance, effective as of August 3,  2001.

 

Belarus has designated two more wetlands for the Ramsar List:  Mid-Pripyat State Landscape Zakaznik), a state landscape reserve; and Olmany Mires Zakaznik, a national landscape reserve.

 

For the full news from Ramsar go to:  http://www.ramsar.org/w.n.html

 

 

 

WETLAND NEWS – IN THE NEWS – FROM AROUND THE GLOBE (by most recent date)

 

 

Brazil Wetlands Get Protected Status

 

August 16, BBC  –  The world's largest freshwater wetlands, the Pantanal in Brazil, are to be given protected status as a world heritage site.  The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) said the title would be officially bestowed in December.  Stretching over two Brazilian states, the Pantanal covers an area about the size of Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal put together.  It is now highly unlikely that the Brazilian Government will try to push ahead with plans to build a navigable waterway through the region - an idea that had been regarded as disastrous by environmentalists.  For the full article go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_882000/882352.stm

 

 

Great News in the Virgin Islands !!!!   Senate Panel Says No to Benner Bay Project

 

A Senate committee rejected a Coastal Zone Management permit for a 165-slip marina and hotel complex on St. Thomas's East End on Tuesday, despite the argument of the developers that it would be a key to revitalizating the territory's charter boat industry.  Covered in the St. Thomas Source:  www.onepaper.com/stthomasvi

 

 

Battle to Save Starving Crocodiles in Paraguay

 

August 14, BBC News, Tom Gibb – Conservationists say thousands of crocodiles in the South American country of Paraguay are dying because a major river that irrigated their swamplands has been diverted for agricultural use.  More than 10,000 South America crocodiles, known as Yacares, are now starving to death, or being entombed in the mud as the lakes dry up, experts say.  For the full article go to:  http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_1490000/1490129.stm

 

 

Yukon Government Considers Oil Development in “Important Wetlands”

 

August 30, 2001, Environmental News Network, by Erica Gies, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada – An area that has been called one of the Yukon’s most important wetlands has been nominated for oil and gas development, raising a controversy similar to that over the United States' Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).  Unlike the situation in the United States, however, the Yukon government is asking for the public's opinion.  For the full story go to:  http://www.enn.com/news/enn-stories/2001/08/08302001/s_44794.asp

 

 

Radio Waves May Be Cure For Pesky Zebra Mussel

 

August 29, 2001, Reuters, Chicago  –-  Zapping zebra mussels with radio waves might control the pesky invader that clogs water intake pipes and threatens native mussels and fish in the Great Lakes region. Exposing fish tanks containing zebra mussels to low-energy radio waves emitted by a generator killed the lima bean-sized mussels within 40 days, apparently by causing the mussels to surrender needed calcium, Purdue University Calumet chemist Matthew Ryan said.

 

 

The Rain Falls Unevenly in Spain. Spread it, said Madrid – and a Storm Broke

 

August 23, 2001, The Economist,  Madrid, Spain  –  The country gets plenty of rain. But it is unevenly spread. So redistribute it.  That was the plan announced by Spain's government last year. Yes indeed, said dry regions, though eager to get even more than was on offer. No way, cried well-watered regions, where protesters in huge numbers poured on to the streets. Environmentalists protested too. Opponents are fighting the scheme in regional parliaments, local councils and at the European Union, which can expect to be stung for 30-40% of the construction costs. On August 10th, a group of marchers set off for Brussels from the delta of the river Ebro, one of the areas liable to be most affected.  For the full story go to:  http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=750517

 

 

Schroeder:  Frogs Bump Up Road Costs

 

August 15, 2001, CNN.com / World, Prenzlau, Germany  –  German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder says the high cost of building roads is due to government measures to protect the environment.  "I don't have anything against frogs," Schroeder said on Wednesday while inspecting a recently finished segment of a long-delayed Autobahn, the A-20, that runs along the Baltic coast.   For the full story go to: http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/europe/08/15/germany.schroeder/index.html

 

 

India Tracks Endangered Sea Turtles By Satellite

 

August 9, 2001,  The Earth Times. Org,  –  Sea Turtles by satellite?  It's true. The fast-paced technological jungle that consumes our globe is now being used to preserve it‹namely, the scute-ridden reptiles. Endangered olive ridley sea turtles in India can now be tracked via satellite as they travel at sea.  The coast of Orissa in east India is currently the largest nesting site of olive ridley turtles in the world: the turtles have been known to nest there by tens of thousands. While scientists have been able to study their nesting habits, little is known of the olive ridleys' migratory patterns. Such information is critical for conservation efforts.  For the full story go to:  http://earthtimes.org/aug/environmentindiatracksaug9_01.htm

 

 

Iran Drought Turns Lakes to Scorched Earth

 

August 1, 2001, Reuters, By Ali RaissTousi - Dasht-e-arjan, Iran – The cool waters of Lake Arjan in southern Iran were once a haven for migrating birds, wild animals, and diverse plant life.  Now the sun beats relentlessly on the dried and cracked lake bed, and nomads, who could once depend on pastures further afield, have brought their goats and sheep to forage for the last scraps of greenery.  For the full article go to:  http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2001/08/08012001/reu_iran_44508.asp

 

 

 

WETLAND NEWS IN THE UNITED STATES

 

Proposed Guidelines for Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program

 

August 21, 2001, Capitol Reports, Washington, D.C.  –  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has formally proposed guidelines to improve the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program of yearly matching grants to coastal states and U.S. territories for projects involving the acquisition, restoration or enhancement of coastal wetlands.  Implementation of the proposed guidelines is anticipated for the Fiscal Year 2003 grant cycle, which begins in March 2002.  For the full article go to:  http://www.caprep.com/0801048.htm

 

 

Restoring Wetlands More Than Just Add Water

 

August 13, 2001, Environment News Service, Minneapolis, Minnesota  –  Wetlands lost to agricultural development can be reflooded with relative ease, but they will not regain their former flora and fauna without a huge effort, shows research at the University of Minnesota.  In what may be the largest study of wetlands restored in agricultural landscapes, Susan Galatowitsch, an associate professor of horticulture, and John Mulhouse, an assistant scientist in applied ecology, found that restored prairie potholes in southwest Minnesota, southeast South Dakota and northern Iowa were quickly colonized by waterfowl dispersed plants but were slow to acquire a diverse plant community resembling the original wetlands.

 

 

August 9, 20001 The National Academies  –  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed this week to relax regulations for developers who fill wetlands, despite widespread protest from other federal agencies. Environmental groups claim that the plan will make it easier for developers to fill bogs and fens, wetlands that cannot easily be restored. A National Academies' Web Extra features the recent report “Compensating for Wetland Losses Under the Clean Water Act”,  http://www4.nationalacademies.org/onpi/webextra.nsf/44bf87db309563a0852566f2006d63bb/acdf81ceb0e67c2c85256a73005019a8?OpenDocument  [yes, this is a gigantic link but it works] which examines federal efforts to regulate wetland loss, identifies case studies and operational guidelines to help wetland managers, and explains why wetlands are so vital to humans and nature. 

 

 

45 Day Comment Period Set for Proposed Re-Issuance of Section 404 Nationwide

General Permits & Proposed EIS

 

The Corps of Engineers is soliciting comments for the re-issuance of the existing Nationwide Permits (NWPs), General Conditions, and definitions with some modifications. In order to reduce the confusion regarding the expiration of the NWPs and the administrative burden, it is the Corps intent to reissue all NWPs and General Conditions contained within this Notice, including those not scheduled to expire on February 11, 2002.  Comments must be received by September 24, 2001.  These documents were downloaded by the Association of State Wetland Managers because of trouble accessing them on the web.  Go to either http://www.aswm.org/01nwp.pdf

(PDF version) or  http://www.aswm.org/01nwp.htm  (html version)

 

 

 

WETLANDS FUNDING & SMALL GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

 

Wetlands Small Grants for Neotropical Region of Latin America & Mexico

 

The Ramsar Convention Bureau invites proposals for the Wetlands for the Future Fund.  The deadline for proposal presentations is November 30 of 2001.  The Ramsar Bureau offers advice to those who present project proposals before October 31st.  The Fund supports training and capacity building projects for wetland wise use and conservation. 

For more details please see the operational guidelines at  http://ramsar.org/key_wff_guide_e.htm

 

 

Request for Proposals to the Society of Wetland Scientists' Ramsar Support Grant Program

 

The Society of Wetland Scientists (SWS) is soliciting proposals to their Ramsar Support Grant Program, which was established to advance Ramsar Convention objectives, including the selection, designation, management, and networking of Ramsar sites; and the promotion of Ramsar's Wise Use guidelines. Two to four projects are funded each year at a level of US $5,000 on a competitive basis as reviewed by a 4-member Evaluation Committee.  Only applicants working on Ramsar-related activities in countries that are on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Development Assistance Committee (DAC) are invited to join. Grant guidelines and application forms can be found on the SWS web site at www.sws.org/regional/international/Ramsar.Support.Framework

 

 

Small Grants Opportunity for 26 Countries Offered by the Wetlands Programme, of the IUCN [World Conservation Union]

 

This small grants program finances local NGO projects in the field of conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.   Twenty-six countries are supported:  Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Peru, Macedonia, Palestinian Territories, Egypt, Yemen, Benin, Cape Verde, Ghana, Mali, Mozambique, Senegal, Bhutan, China, Indonesia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Bangladesh.  For more details  go to the web site:  www.wetlands.nl  The proposal deadline was moved from November 1 to October 1, 2001 so don’t be caught off guard!!!  Please use this e-mail address for any further questions:  esther.blom@nciucn.nl

THE END

September 5, 2001