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STRP
Scienc and Technical
Review Panel
Ramsar Convenon
on Wetlands
Download PDF at www.ramsar.org/bn/bn1.pdf
Brieng Note
Number 4, May 2012
Download PDF at www.ramsar.org/bn/bn4.pdf
Purpose of this BN
This Brieng Note provides
advice on how to priorize and
implement the adopted Ram-
sar principles and guidelines on
wetland restoraon (Annex 1).
It also advises on the relevance
of other guidance to assist the
following audiences in restor-
ing wetlands:
• Ramsar Naonal Focal
Points; naonal, subnaonal
and local policy-makers;
legislators and regulators;
administrators; planning
and implemenng bodies
involved in restoraon of
degraded wetlands; and
• Praconers implemenng
wetland restoraon acvi-
es on the ground, including
inter alia wetland manag-
ers, NGOs, communies,
corporaons, and local/
state/provincial councils and
administrave units.
Authors
Sasha Alexander, STRP Rep-
resentave of the Society for
Ecological Restoraon
Robert McInnes, STRP Rep-
resentave of the Society of
Wetland Sciensts
The benets of wetland restoraon
The primary objecve of this Brieng Note is to raise awareness, across
all sectors, of the potenal benets of wetland restoraon. Its inten-
on is to catalyse eorts that stem the loss and degradaon of wetlands,
enhance ecosystem funconing, and thus increase wetland benets. By
highlighng the linkages with exisng Ramsar documentaon, this Brief-
ing Note expands upon the exisng guidance on wetland restoraon
while referencing other examples of publicly available documents in the
last secon.
Key Messages
Stop the global loss of wetlands
The world’s wetlands connue to be lost and degraded at an alarming rate as
a result of human acvies. Consequently, the essenal benets provided by
wetlands to people connue to be seriously eroded. These benets, derived
from wetland ecosystem services, are unique, varied and extend across many
sectors, but their contribuon and value is not always fully captured in wetland
management decision-making. A beer understanding of wetland benets is
required in order to make the case for halng further loss and degradaon, and
to support acvies that assist in the recovery of their biodiversity and ecosys-
tem funconing.
Priorize the protecon and restoraon of wetlands
Removing the stressors or pressures on the ecological character of wetlands is
the best pracce for prevenng further loss and degradaon; when this is not
feasible, however, or when degradaon has already occurred, wetland resto-
raon must be considered as a potenal response opon. The commitments
and obligaons under the Ramsar Convenon clearly mandate wise use and the
avoidance of wetland loss and degradaon in the rst instance. The Convenon
has also provided naonal governments and others with a framework on how
to avoid, migate and compensate for wetland loss and degradaon which in-
cludes opportunies for wetland restoraon.
Understand the appropriate role for wetland restoraon
Restoraon is not a substute for protecng and ensuring the wise use of
wetlands, i.e., the potenal to restore a wetland is not a juscaon or suit-
able trade-o for the connued degradaon of wetlands. Furthermore, while
restoraon can play an important role in enhancing wetland benets, experi-
ence shows that a “restored” wetland rarely provides the full range and magni-
tude of services delivered by a wetland that has not been degraded.
Encourage holisc wetland restoraon objecves
In the past, some wetland restoraon eorts have failed due to, among other
things, narrow objecves which focus on one benet or a paral suite of ben-
2
Ramsar Scienc and Technical Brieng Note no. 4
ets. The inability to recognize or appreciate the poten-
al for achieving mulple benets across sectors has,
in some cases, precluded cost-eecve, parcipatory
approaches to wetland restoraon that may be more
successful in recovering benets and delivering more
sustainable outcomes for people and the environment.
Recognize the full suite of wetland restoraon benets
Decision-makers are urged to take immediate and ap-
propriate measures to recognize the full suite of en-
vironmental, cultural and socio-economic benets
from wetland restoraon. For example, in the tropics,
mangroves and peat swamp forests play a crical role
in carbon storage and climate regulaon. The failure to
recognize these mulple benets oen greatly under-
mines the raonale for wetland restoraon and com-
promises future well-being.
The importance of wetland ecosystem
services
Introducon
The Ramsar Convenon denes wetlands as “areas of
marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or ar-
cial, permanent or temporary, with water that is stac
or owing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of ma-
rine water the depth of which at low de does not ex-
ceed six metres” (Arcle 1.1). The Convenon also rec-
ognizes the interdependence of humans and wetlands
and the irreplaceable resources they provide to society.
In all of their myriad forms, wetlands are collecons
of plants, animals and micro-organisms (bioc compo-
nents) that interact with the non-living environment
(abioc components) and exist within and form an in-
tegral part of the larger landscape, i.e., watersheds,
catchments and river basins. It is the unique range of
hydrological condions of wetlands which determines
its biodiversity and ecosystem funconing. Due to their
inherent diversity, wetlands are highly producve sys-
tems that play a fundamental and disproporonate role
in providing a multude of ecosystem services that sus-
tain all life on the planet, regardless of the parcular
landscape in which they are found.
Wetlands perform many funcons on local, regional
and global scales – from providing wildlife habitat and
basic necessies for humans to regulang atmospheric
processes and geochemical cycles. While these benets
are not always obvious or measurable, they are never-
theless crical. Dierent wetlands provide a range of
valuable services according to their type, size and loca-
on. The inuenal Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
recognizes the enormous global economic importance
of wetlands, valued at up to US$15 trillion dollars in
1997 (MA, 2005). Our increased understanding of the
importance of wetland services has led to a greater ap-
preciaon of their value. The legal and/or cultural pro-
tecon of wetlands by many sociees and governments
is an explicit recognion of the benets they provide,
although these measures have not, in many places,
proven sucient to stem the extent and rate of wetland
loss and degradaon.
Some wetland ecosystem services have direct market
values or quanable benets to specic sectors or
stakeholders, such as the cost of water for agricultural
producon, or the value of sh to sherfolk. Most wet-
land ecosystem services, however, such as water ltra-
on and wildlife habitat, indirectly benet society at
large and are therefore classied as public or non-mar-
ket benets. The diculty of assessing and quanfying
these indirect benets means that they are oen given
low priority within the compeng demands for wet-
land services. In planning for the wise use of wetlands,
governments and wetland managers must protect and
restore these public benets and work to ensure their
equitable distribuon. The non-compeve nature of
these indirect or public benets also provides a large
Background
Resoluon X.10 Future implementaon of scienc and
technical aspects of the Convenon, Annex II, requested
the Scienc and Technical Review Panel (STRP) to
undertake two tasks under Themac Work Area (TWA):
Wetland Management – Restoraon, Migaon and
Compensaon. Task 9.2 specically requested the STRP
to:
Prepare proposals for updang and expanding exist-
ing Ramsar guidance on restoraon and rehabilita-
on of lost or degraded wetlands, in the context
of Resoluon X.16 on A Framework for processes
of detecng, reporng and responding to change
in ecological character, including approaches to
priorizaon and links with other Ramsar tools and
guidance, inter alia, those on climate change and
on economic values of ecosystem services.
The inial phases of this review work were undertaken
during 2009-2011 by the STRP, and its ndings and
recommendaons are provided in a “Summary Report
on Acvies 2009-2012”. Amongst the recommendaons
presented in that report was a proposal to prepare an
STRP Brieng Note on wetland restoraon prior to Ram-
sar COP11 in July 2012.
Download PDF at www.ramsar.org/bn/bn4.pdf 3
The benets of wetland restoraon
number of stakeholders with a powerful raonale to
protect and restore wetlands.
Wetland loss and degradaon
When wetlands are degraded, the broad range of ben-
ets they produce begins to deteriorate and eventually
vanish. In some cases, degradaon occurs because one
parcular benet is valued above all others, such as wa-
ter supply for irrigaon in agricultural producon sys-
tems. Wetland degradaon is dened as the alteraon
of an exisng or intact wetland resulng in a simplica-
on or disrupon in its structure, funcon and compo-
sion and, in turn, a loss of biodiversity and ecosystem
services. This is most oen caused by human acvies
or disturbances that are too frequent or severe to al-
low for natural recovery. Not only have populaon pres-
sures and other human-induced stressors resulted in
the degradaon of wetlands across the globe, but the
eects of climate change (e.g., sea level rise, tempera-
ture increases, changes in ood and drought paerns)
are also increasingly impacng the quality and ow of
wetland services. The connued loss and degradaon
of wetlands will result in a further reducon in benets
and thus negavely impact human health and well-
being into the future, parcularly for the poor and dis-
enfranchised who oen depend disproporonately on
these public goods and services.
The benets of restoring degraded wetlands
The Ramsar Convenon denes restoraon in its broad-
est sense, including acvies that promote a return to
previous condions as well as those that improve the
funconing of a wetland without necessarily seek-
ing to return it to its pre-disturbance condion (Ram-
sar HB191). This noon of restoraon proceeds from
the widely-cited denion of ecological restoraon as
“the process of assisng the recovery of an ecosystem
that has been degraded, damaged or destroyed” (SER,
2004). The aributes of successful wetland restoraon
acvies include: 1) the ulizaon of nave wetland
species in characterisc assemblages and funconal
groups, 2) self-sustaining and resilient wetland ecosys-
tems integrated within the larger landscape, and 3) the
reducon or eliminaon of the drivers of wetland deg-
radaon (SER, 2004). In 2002, the Ramsar Convenon
adopted principles and guidelines for wetland restora-
1 Reference to the Ramsar Wise Use Handbooks in this Brieng
Note adopts the shorthand of “Ramsar HB[Number of the Hand-
book]”. All references are to the 4th edion of the Handbooks.
The Handbooks are available for download in PDF format at
www.ramsar.org/handbooks4.
Wetland biodiversity and ecosystem funconing
Biodiversity underpins ecosystem funconing which, in turn,
produces “services”. These ecosystem services are dened as
the benets that people obtain from ecosystems (MA, 2005)
and they include provisioning services (e.g., food, bre, fuel,
water); regulang services (e.g., climate, oods, disease,
waste and water quality); cultural services (e.g., recreaon,
aesthec enjoyment, tourism, spiritual and ethical values);
and supporng services necessary for the producon of all
other ecosystem services (e.g., soil formaon, photosynthesis,
nutrient cycling).
A recent meta-analysis indicates that restoraon acvies
that enhance biodiversity are posively correlated with the
increased provisioning of ecosystem services (Rey Benayas et
al. 2009). Figure 1 on page 7 portrays the causal relaonship
between dierent socio-economic sectors, wetland restora-
on acvies, biodiversity and ecosystem funconing, and
the delivery of benets. Because the objecves of restoraon
acvies have become increasingly focused on ecosystem
services (Bullock et al. 2011), it is important to account for the
impacts of wetland use on biodiversity and ecosystem func-
oning. When the drivers of wetland degradaon cannot be
reduced or eliminated, restoraon acvies can sll play a role
in reducing negave impacts and enhancing benets.
Human health and sustainable livelihoods
The ability of wetlands to lter and supply fresh water is per-
haps the single most important service impacng the health
of urban, rural and coastal communies around the world.
In addion to supplies of fresh water, many communies are
dependent in one way or another on the services provided
by wetlands for their subsistence and economic livelihoods,
further increasing the urgency and importance of restoring
degraded wetlands.
Water, food and energy security
Water, food and energy security in many countries are, in large
part, dependent on wetland funconing and are necessary
condions for economic development and poverty alleviaon.
Wetland restoraon is one tool to redress the over-exploita-
on of groundwater and the draining or diversion of surface
water, parcularly in low-income countries with signicant
populaon pressures and suscepbility to desercaon, land
degradaon, and drought (DLDD). Food and energy security
are also threatened by the same unsustainable uses and pres-
sures that negavely impact the sheries, agriculture, water
supply and treatment, hydro-electric and transport sectors.
Resilience of socio-ecological systems
Protecng and restoring wetlands should be a crical ele-
ment in naonal and global strategies to migate and adapt
to climate change. Restoring degraded wetlands increases
the adapve capacity of these ecosystems and their depend-
ent communies to absorb and adjust to extreme events and
other disturbances, such as oods, droughts, and sea level
rise. Wetland restoraon acvies that enhance resilience are
therefore crical to the health and sustainability of socio-
ecological systems. However, we must understand the nature
of climac and ecological changes that are likely to occur re-
gionally in order to properly design wetland management and
restoraon plans at the mega-watershed level (Erwin, 2009).
4
Ramsar Scienc and Technical Brieng Note no. 4
on to assist decision-makers and wetland managers
(Ramsar HB19).
Restoring lost or degraded wetlands represents a valua-
ble and cost-eecve opportunity for society to recover
and enhance benets for human health and well-being,
including reduced risk from storms and other extreme
events, improved food and water security, and the ca-
pacity to migate and adapt to climate change. The res-
toraon of mangroves and near-shore habitats, for ex-
ample, provides food (sh and invertebrates) and other
basic necessies, habitat for birds, reples and mam-
mals, carbon sequestraon, and climate protecon, and
it contributes to enhanced socio-economic resilience
among coastal communies. The total value of benets
that ow from a restored wetland can oen be several
mes higher than the cost of restoraon when added
to the value of the benets lost due to degradaon. As
nature characteriscally provides ecosystem services at
a lower cost than human-made systems, wetland res-
toraon can be a cost-eecve, long-term strategy for
achieving conservaon and development objecves si-
multaneously.
Although restoraon can clearly play an important role
in enhancing exisng and recovering lost benets, expe-
rience shows that a “restored” wetland rarely provides
the full range and magnitude of services delivered by a
wetland that has not been degraded (Moreno-Mateos
et al. 2012). Thus, the rst priority should be to con-
serve and sustainably use wetlands rather than allow
for their connued degradaon. Regreably, given the
current state of loss and degradaon, conservaon
alone is not sucient to protect and enhance these
wetland benets. Restoraon has now become a nec-
essary wetland management tool in many countries to
ensure a desirable and sustainable future.
Wetland restoraon benets mulple sectors
Wetlands have the potenal to provide long-term
benets to mulple sectors concurrently, such as ag-
riculture, sheries, water, forestry, health, energy, ex-
tracve industries, recreaon, transport, educaon,
development, and indigenous and local communies.
The relave importance given to various wetland ben-
ets derived from restoraon acvies will depend to
some extent on the degree of informaon available to
decision-makers and wetland managers. When consid-
ering wetland restoraon opportunies, an adequate
evidence base is needed to demonstrate and communi-
cate the full suite of benets and their relevance across
sectors.
Here, sectors are dened as discrete subdivisions within
a socio-economic system such as private landowners
and corporaons, local, regional or naonal authories,
and components of civil society, including NGOs and in-
digenous and local communies. In the past, many wet-
land restoraon projects and programmes have been
driven by the nature conservaon sector or the envi-
ronment departments in governments, which oen had
Eco-cultural restoraon of the Mesopotamian Marshes, Iraq
In the 1990s, in the aermath of the rst Gulf War, the government led by Saddam Hussein drained the Mesopotamian
Marshes to punish the indigenous tribes, collecvely referred to as the Marsh Arabs, for their support of the uprising in
the aermath of the conict. The Marsh Arabs had been living in and tradionally managing the marsh ecosystem for
over 5,000 years, and in this largely arid climate, the marshes were the only source of fresh water for wildlife and human
livelihoods. A network of canals was built to divert water from the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers, reducing the marshes
to less than 10% of their original size. As a result, the marshes dried or became saline, wildlife populaons collapsed,
and the Marsh Arabs were forced to leave. Since 2003, a number of NGOs have been working to remove large drainage
canals and re-establish water ows to the marshes, and by 2007 approximately 50% of the marshes had been restored.
Rare and endangered wildlife gradually returned, as did components of the livelihoods of the Marsh Arabs embodied in
their tradional sheries, gardens and water bualo, an ecologically and culturally important species. The eco-cultural
restoraon of the Marsh Arabs in Iraq slls faces signicant challenges, including dam construcon, recent droughts, and
reduced ows that are causing the marshes to dry again. As a result, the wildlife resurgence is under threat and the Marsh
Arabs who did return face the prospect of having to leave again. An internaonal framework for basin planning and the
equitable allocaon of water rights is urgently needed to protect the people and nature of the Mesopotamian Marshes.
Services enhanced: water supply/recharge, agricultural producvity, livestock management, nave biodiversity, cultural
identy, carbon sequestraon, etc.
Sectors beneted: agriculture, water, transport, climate change, livelihoods, etc.
Stevens, M. 2011. Eco-cultural restoraon of the Mesopotamian marshes, southern Iraq in Human Dimensions of Ecologi-
cal Restoraon. Springer, New York.
Download PDF at www.ramsar.org/bn/bn4.pdf 5
The benets of wetland restoraon
the singular objecve of recovering wildlife habitat. In
order to gain support from mulple sectors with diverse
interests in wetland restoraon, stakeholders must be
made aware of all the possible environmental, cultural
and socio-economic benets and given the opportunity
to parcipate in planning and implementaon.
Community and grass-roots parcipaon in wetland
restoraon acvies oen contribute to their long-term
success by educang local communies and focusing at-
tenon on the causes of degradaon, as well as by cre-
ang employment and a more equitable distribuon of
benets. However, care must be taken to properly train
community volunteers and provide appropriate guid-
ance from experienced managers and restoraon pro-
fessionals. Similarly, the use of indigenous or tradional
knowledge can contribute to the long-term success of
restoraon acvies by providing crical insights into
historical condions that may improve the design and
implementaon of wetland restoraon projects and
programmes. These are essenal components of the
parcipatory approach advocated by the Ramsar Con-
venon (Ramsar HB7).
Wetland restoraon acvies that opmize for a nar-
row range of ecosystem services and result in trade-os
in the delivery of compeng services oen preclude the
provision of an equitable suite of benets. For example,
wetland restoraon projects or programmes that exclu-
sively target improvements in water quality and ow for
the urban or agricultural sectors may neglect wildlife
habitat, sedimentaon, and nutrient cycling that sup-
port a wide variety of other services. In order to ensure
greater equity and the long-term sustainability of wet-
Mangrove restoraon: Vietnam and the Philippines
Mangrove restoraon in Vietnam and the Philippines has been ongoing for over 20 years. These eorts are described as “ec-
osystem-based” and “community-based” approaches to deal with the uncertainty surrounding ancipated climate change,
associated sea level rise, and coastal erosion. Mangrove ecosystems protect communies and coastal habitats from storms
and typhoons, eciently store carbon, and play a crical role in maintaining sheries which provide for economic livelihoods.
In Vietnam, an esmated 50,000 hectares of monoculture plantaons of primarily Rhizophora stylosa, Kandelia can-
del, and Sonneraa caseolaris were planted from 1994 to 2006. Where successful, primarily in the north, benets for
coastal protecon and sheries have been signicant. Although the overall project costs were esmated at US$1.1 mil-
lion, the investment has saved US$7.3 million per year in dyke maintenance. It is esmated that some 7,750 families
have beneted from mangrove restoraon, including income generaon, reduced vulnerabilies and improved nutri-
on from restored sh populaons. However, the net increase in the total area of mangroves over this same me pe-
riod was only 15,000 ha, which was probably due to encroachment into exisng mangroves. In the Philippines, simi-
lar aempts at monoculture plantaons of Rhizophora spp. on 40,000 ha of mudats cost US$17.6 million but with
only limited success. Both of these examples illustrate that successful restoraon can benet local coastal commu-
nies with payments for planngs and increased incomes from improved sheries, but large-scale failures are com-
mon. Ecological Mangrove Restoraon is one approach that recommends a careful evaluaon of exisng topographic
and hydrologic condions prior to site selecon as well as praconer and volunteer training before implementaon.
Services enhanced: food/nutrion, sh/invertebrate habi-
tat, climate protecon, nave biodiversity, carbon seques-
traon, etc.
Sectors beneted: sheries, water, climate change, human
health, livelihoods, etc.
Lewis, R. R. 2009. Methods and criteria for successful man-
grove forest restoraon. Chapter 28, pp. 787-800 in G.M.E.
Perillo, E. Wolanski, D. R. Cahoon, and M.M. Brinson (eds.)
Coastal Wetlands: An Integrated Ecosystem Approach.
Elsevier Press.
Powell, N., M. Osbeck, S.B. Tan, and V.C. Toan. 2010. Man-
grove restoraon and rehabilitaon for climate change
adapon in Vietnam. World Resources Report Case Study.
Samson, M.S. and R.N. Rollon. 2008. Growth performance
of planted mangroves in the Philippines: revising forest
management strategies. Ambio 37:234-240.
Two year old mangrove restoraon site through low-cost manu-
al removal of dikes by the local sherman and their families on
the island of Tanakeke, Sulawesi, Indonesia (© R. Lewis)
6
Ramsar Scienc and Technical Brieng Note no. 4
land restoraon outcomes, an Ecosystem Approach is
oen best suited to eecvely manage the design and
implementaon of restoraon acvies as well as pri-
orize the inevitable trade-o in benets.
The Ecosystem Approach is a strategy for the integrated
management of land, water, and biological resources
that promotes conservaon and sustainable use in an
equitable way (Finlayson et al. 2011). The Ramsar Con-
venon’s concept of wise use is perhaps the oldest ex-
ample of the Ecosystem Approach among the intergov-
ernmental processes concerned with the conservaon
and sustainable development of natural resources. In
addion to understanding ecological processes within
the context of the larger watershed or river basin, resto-
raon projects and programmes must be designed and
implemented with the aim of fostering mulsectoral co-
operaon and stakeholder parcipaon to allow for the
pooling or leveraging of knowledge and resources, the
resoluon of long-term governance issues, and equita-
ble socio-economic development. Under these circum-
stances, wetland restoraon can be a “win-win” propo-
sion that, with limited resources, enhances the quality
of life for both people and nature (Figure 1).
The CBD’s Ecosystem Approach outlines twelve princi-
ples, two of which are parcularly relevant to wetland
restoraon consideraons (CBD, 2004). Principle 1 rec-
ognizes that sectors oen have dierent economic,
cultural and societal needs which determine the ben-
ets they seek from wetland restoraon acvies. It
therefore encourages communicaon and collaboraon
among dierent sectors in order to establish common
ground, determine the types of acvies to be under-
taken, and equitably manage the trade-os between
mulple benets. Principle 3 encourages sectors and
stakeholders to consider the impacts of wetland resto-
raon acvies on other ecosystems and in the context
of the wider landscape.
The Working for Water Programme, South
Africa
In the mid-1990s, South Africa iniated a naonal eco-
system restoraon programme, modelled on Payments for
Ecosystem Services. It is a replicable prototype for many
developing countries and perhaps industrialised countries
as well. Using restoraon to address development issues
as well as conservaon objecves, the government-fund-
ed Working for Water (WfW) programme employs tens of
thousands of people to clear mountain catchments and
riparian zones of harmful alien invasive plants in order
to restore natural re regimes, hydrological funconing,
nave biodiversity, and the producve potenal of the
land. As the benets of restoring hydrological processes
have become more and more apparent, water ulies and
municipalies are now contracng WfW to restore enre
catchments in order to improve their water supplies. De-
spite some shortcomings, the WfW programme provides
many valuable lessons for overcoming the conicts that
can arise when addressing complex economic, ecological
and social issues.
Services enhanced: water supply/recharge, agricultural
producvity, livestock management, nave biodiversity,
carbon sequestraon, etc.
Sectors beneted: agriculture, water, climate change,
livelihoods, etc.
Turpie, J.K. et al. 2008. The working for water pro-
gramme, South Africa. Ecological Economics 65: 788 –798
Parcipatory approaches and stakeholders
Involvement of local and indigenous people in wetland
restoraon falls within the general resource management
approach known as parcipatory management. Terms
such as collaborave, joint, community-based or co-man-
agement are more or less synonymous in this context.
Stakeholders are taken to be bearers of separate interests
and/or contribuons for the management of a wetland,
with a parcular focus on interest groups within local and
indigenous communies. The government agencies re-
sponsible for wetland management and local authories
may also be considered as stakeholders.
The term community as used in the Ramsar Handbooks
can be understood at two levels. On one level it represents
a more or less homogeneous group that is most oen de-
ned by geographical locaon (e.g., a village), but possibly
by ethnicity. At this level, the community may have very
disnct interests compared with other major stakeholders
(e.g., government agencies, businesses and NGOs). On an-
other level, it represents a collecon of dierent interest
groups such as women and men, young and old, sher-
folk and farmers, wealthy and poor people, and dierent
ethnic groups. Even in relavely unied communies, it
is likely that these subgroups have dierent interests and
perspecves that need to be taken into account in the par-
cipatory management process and specically in seng
targets for wetland restoraon.
Ramsar Convenon Secretariat, 2010. Parcipatory skills:
Establishing and strengthening local communies’ and
indigenous people’s parcipaon in the management of
wetlands. Ramsar handbooks for the wise use of wetlands,
4th Edion, vol. 7. Ramsar Convenon Secretariat, Gland,
Switzerland.
Download PDF at www.ramsar.org/bn/bn4.pdf 7
The benets of wetland restoraon
Wetland funconing and benets in the wider
landscape
Whenever possible, wetland restoraon planning and
design should be conducted at the river basin, water-
shed or catchment level. A mul-scale approach, both
spaal and temporal, to wetland restoraon that fully
accounts for connecvity within the larger landscape
is best suited to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem
funconing over the long term and deliver mulple
benets. Since wetlands connect terrestrial (upland),
dal and marine environments, these linkages must
be strengthened so as to opmize wetland funconing
while avoiding negave impacts on adjacent ecosys-
tems, both aquac and terrestrial.
Wetland restoraon acvies that focus on re-estab-
lishing a specic hydrologic regime must consider how
this might alter the hydrology and funconing of adja-
cent ecosystems. Restoraon outcomes or benets may
not always be favourable to or desired by the surround-
ing communies. Thus, the enhancement of benets
from wetland restoraon must be considered at the
landscape or regional scale. For example, diverng wa-
ter from a river to restore a wetland might reduce the
ow of freshwater to an estuary and aect salt-sensive
sh species which, in turn, could negavely impact the
livelihoods of sherfolk. However, the lack of detailed
scienc data at larger landscape scales should not de-
ter the planning and implementaon of smaller wetland
restoraon projects and programmes which sll require
appropriate site-specic informaon.
Restoraon acvies should also strive
to maintain the diversity of wetland
ecosystems within the landscape so as
to protect overall species, habitat and
funconal diversity while recognizing
that the benets delivered by wetland
restoraon may accrue at some dis-
tance from site-specic acvies, such
as groundwater recharge or migra-
tory bird habitat. Integrated river basin
management (Ramsar HB9) and coast-
al zone management (Ramsar HB12)
strategies recognize that wetland con-
dions are determined by landscape-
scale ecological processes, such as
water supply, sedimentaon, and geo-
morphology. These, in turn, are oen
inuenced by socio-economic factors
that tend to drive wetland loss and
degradaon, such as populaon growth, conversion of
wetlands for agriculture, and the felling of forests in up-
land areas. In order for wetland restoraon to be eec-
ve and realize mulple benets, a shared vision and
on-the-ground planning and coordinaon among the
relevant public and private stakeholders is crical, and
so is an understanding of the ecological history of the
proposed restoraon site. In doing so, the educaon,
recreaon and income-generang benets of wetland
restoraon have the potenal to reach a broad commu-
nity of stakeholders.
Prioritizing and making the case for wet-
land restoration
Restoraon in naonal decision-making
Wetland restoraon is needed to counteract the loss and
degradaon of wetland ecosystems and their benets
in many countries (Acreman et al. 2007). The catalysts
for iniang wetland restoraon acvies are present
at a number of levels, from obligaons under interna-
onal treaes to local opportunies and community-
based iniaves. This Brieng Note does not present
a priorizaon framework. Rather it highlights the cir-
cumstances under which wetland restoraon should
be considered and provides recommendaons on how
wetland restoraon can be priorized by decision-mak-
ers. The essenal element in priorizing wetland resto-
raon is to recognize the benets it can deliver to peo-
ple. However, the recognion that wetland restoraon
has relevance across mulple sectors is dependent on a
broad understanding and awareness of these opportu-
Figure 1: Relaonship between sectoral use of wetlands and the delivery of benets
(modied from TEEB 2010).
8
Ramsar Scienc and Technical Brieng Note no. 4
nies. The need for awareness extends both across and
among government departments or socio-economic
sectors and vercally within the same departments and
sectors. Examples of policy sectors where wetland res-
toraon can play a role include, among others, climate
change, economic investment, development planning,
housing, sanitaon and water resources, food produc-
on, transport and educaon. Governments need to
encourage dialogue and leadership across these sectors
to ensure that social, economic and environmental ben-
ets are delivered.
Many countries have naonal policies and laws which
explicitly or implicitly call for wetland restoraon. Some
of these encourage a strategic approach to wetland res-
toraon, such as targeng the restoraon of degraded
ecosystems in order to deliver on their commitments to
achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets for 2011-2020,
and they are thus embedded in Naonal Biodiversity
Strategies and Acon Plans (NBSAPs). Similarly, there
are a range of internaonal convenons with commit-
ments which, whilst not explicitly referencing restora-
on, can be delivered by restoring degraded wetlands.
For instance, wetland restoraon has a role to play in
meeng the Millennium Development Goals, especially
with regard to the environmental sustainability objec-
ves, and also for achieving the targets under the Unit-
ed Naons Framework Convenon on Climate Change
by reducing emissions and enhancing carbon stocks in
forested wetland ecosystems (Alexander et al. 2011).
Under the commitments of the Ramsar Convenon,
and manifest in Naonal Wetland Policies, a strategic
approach should consider priorizing wetland restora-
on in order to avoid or migate impacts on designated
Ramsar Sites or, if degraded, to reinstate their ecological
character. Wetland restoraon in this context should be
carried out within the framework of the overall manage-
ment of protected areas, the protected area network,
and the surrounding land- or seascape. A number of
factors can inuence decision-making, such as whether
restoraon is an appropriate intervenon, whether it is
economically and ecologically feasible, whether it is a
relavely high or low priority for the specic site or sys-
tem, who should be involved, and what the appropriate
goals and outcomes might be. An evaluaon of informa-
on, such as management objecves for the site and
relevant local or naonal policies and legislaon, is an
obvious starng point. A review of regional and interna-
onal conservaon strategies, goals, programmes and
policies could help dene the design of a wetland resto-
raon project. For example, naonal, regional or global
acon plans associated with issues such as invasive spe-
cies or climate change adaptaon and migaon may
inuence the selecon of restoraon objecves. How-
ever, local opportunies and circumstances to restore
wetlands will also arise, for instance the restoraon of
mangroves or salt marshes in order to protect commu-
nies and coastal infrastructure from storms.
Whilst precise informaon on the scale of global and
naonal wetland loss is sll limited, wetland invento-
ries and an understanding of the degree of degradaon
and the level of importance in terms of benets can be
used to establish local or naonal priories for restora-
on. Wetland restoraon can deliver a range of benets
to social, economic and environmental sectors that ex-
tend beyond the conservaon of protected or threat-
ened species. Local or naonal policies which do not
directly or explicitly address biodiversity conservaon,
such as water resource management or disaster reduc-
on strategies, may assist in priorizing or highlighng
such wetland benets. Priorizaon is only possible if
the potenal benets of wetland restoraon are rst
acknowledged by mulple sectors and subsequently in-
tegrated across disparate policy areas in order to iden-
fy win-win outcomes.
When both government and non-governmental organi-
zaons are considering the priorizaon of wetland
restoraon acvies they should consider not just sin-
gle wetland sites, but mulple wetlands at a variety of
scales within the land- or seascape. Any assessment
should also consider the feasibility and ecological ne-
cessity of restoraon acvies and their long-term
management and sustainability. Feasibility is oen dic-
tated by the availability of nite and limited resources.
By addressing the priories from mulple sectors it may
Restored Anne Valley Stream (© Robert J. McInnes)
Download PDF at www.ramsar.org/bn/bn4.pdf 9
The benets of wetland restoraon
be possible to pool limited resources in order to op-
mise the scope of wetland restoraon and the range,
quality and quanty of benets delivered.
Opportunies for proacve wetland restoraon
The following examples illustrate opportunies for wet-
land restoraon that assist in delivering on a range of
objecves beyond simply the recovery of biodiversity.
Degraded wetlands
Human acvies have le a legacy of contaminated and
degraded landscapes across the globe. In many cases,
wetlands have been polluted, transformed or inlled.
The revitalizaon and restoraon of contaminated
landscapes by restoring wetlands can recover ecosys-
tem funconing which provides sustainable habitats,
economic use and social benets, such as educaonal
acvies, improvements in water quality, provision
of wildlife habitat, and recreaonal pursuits. In some
cases, wetland degradaon is so severe that restoring
a historical wetland type is not possible, such as the
complete loss of organic soils forcing restoraon to take
place on a mineral substrate. Even in these circumstanc-
es, opportunies can sll exist to reanimate wetland
processes and restore important ecosystem services
rather than specic wetland types. Further informaon
on the restoraon of degraded land is available here:
hp://www.cluin.org/download/issues/ecotools/eco-
logical_revitalization_turning_contaminated_proper-
es_into_community_assets.pdf.
Wetlands, water and sanitaon
People’s health and well-being are dependent on ac-
cess to water and sanitaon. Currently, a signicant
poron of the global populaon lacks basic sanitaon.
Intervenons to improve this access have long been an
important part of the development agenda and wet-
land restoraon can play a crucial role as a targeted
and sustainable intervenon. Finding soluons to wa-
ter supply and sanitaon issues can oen be a complex
and demanding process, oen because wetlands and
water supply and sanitaon are dealt with by dierent
government departments and separately planned for.
This is a missed opportunity for securing sustainable
development and ecosystem improvements. Acons
should be integrated beyond the normal boundaries of
implementaon, for instance through river basin plans
which value all forms of water supply and wetlands, and
seek to nd soluons which enhance human well-being
and biodiversity in a more holisc manner. For further
reading, please see: hp://wetlands.org/WatchRead/
Currentpublicaons/tabid/56/mod/1570/arcleType/
ArcleView/arcleId/2467/Default.aspx.
Declining sheries
Globally, sh are the main source of protein for over a
billion people. Two thirds or more of all sh consumed
by humans depend upon coastal wetlands, such as
mangroves and estuaries; these coastal wetlands are
in turn reliant on a range of interdependent inland
wetlands, including lakes which connect via rivers and
streams to the coast. Whilst 80% of the global shery
producon takes place in developing countries, the
value of recreaonal sheries also has huge economic
signicance in the developed world. It has been es-
mated that the overall economic impact of recreaonal
angling in the USA is approximately $116 billion per
annum (MA, 2005). Wetland restoraon can stem the
decline and loss of both commercial and recreaonal
sheries, thus enhancing both human health and eco-
nomic well-being. For further reading on sustainable
sheries see p://p.fao.org/docrep/fao/006/y4773e/
y4773e00.pdf.
Declining water resources
Wetlands play a vital role in the protecon and deliv-
ery of water resources to human populaons, includ-
ing private concerns such as agriculture, mining and
industry. The wise use and restoraon of wetlands can
help secure vital water resources for those uses in the
long term and provide wider economic benets for oth-
ers. An example from North West England has demon-
strated that the restoraon of upland peatlands has im-
proved the quanty and quality of water supply to over
seven million residents. It has also secured livelihoods
for tenant farmers and restored important biodiversity
whilst reducing water treatment costs. For further in-
formaon, see hp://corporate.unitedulies.com/
scamp-index.aspx.
Tourism and poverty reducon opportunies
Tourism benets from wetlands. Tourists like to swim
and bathe, canoe, dive or snorkel, watch wildlife, learn
about nature or just enjoy aracve scenery. Local and
internaonal tourism are oen dependent on coastal
areas, lakes, rivers, mangroves and other wetland eco-
systems. Similarly, in many parts of the world, but espe-
cially in the developing world, millions of people rely to
a great extent on wetlands for their livelihoods and food
security. Experience has shown that where wetlands are
degrading, poverty generally increases, escalang pres-
10
Ramsar Scienc and Technical Brieng Note no. 4
sures on the remaining wetland resources and leading
to further wetland degradaon and poverty (Kumar et
al. 2011). By exploring the synergies between wetland
restoraon outcomes, such as generang tourist rev-
enues and improving local livelihoods, mulple benets
can be realized. For further informaon on tourism,
poverty reducon, and wetland restoraon, please see
hp://www.wetlands.org/WatchRead/Currentpublica-
ons/tabid/56/mod/1570/arcleType/ArcleView/ar-
cleId/1640/Default.aspx.
Achieving sustainable urban drainage
Wetlands can reduce peak urban runo while pro-
viding other benets such as improved water quality,
enhanced biodiversity, and increased recreaonal op-
portunies. The restoraon of wetlands can reduce
or eliminate the need for expensive, hard-engineered
systems to deal with ood waters and/or manage the
release of untreated water downstream. With careful
design of a wetland area, the quality of the stormwa-
ter can be improved whilst creang aracve mul-
funconal open urban areas. Urban dwellers can gain
addional social, cultural, and psychological benets
from physical or visual access to restored ‘natural’ spac-
es. For informaon on how wetland restoraon can be
integrated into sustainable urban drainage, please see
http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/PDF/
GEHO0308BNST-E-E.pdf.
Regulang urban climate
Urbanisaon has been shown to increase annual mean
air temperatures by at least 1°C when compared to sur-
rounding countryside, reduce solar radiaon by 20%,
and lower wind speeds by between 10 and 30%. The
result is the creaon of urban heat islands which can
negavely impact both local human health and the glo-
bal climate. In Bangalore, it has been esmated that
between 1973 and 2009 the urban area increased by
632%, and over the past decade air temperatures have
increased by between 2 and 2.5°C. During the same pe-
riod almost 80% of the city’s water bodies and wetlands
have been lost or severely degraded. The restoraon of
these degraded ecosystems is advocated as a crucial el-
ement in moderang the changing urban climate. The
restoraon of wetlands within urban areas can help to
cool the local climate, reduce urban heat island eects,
and provide a range of ancillary benets to city dwell-
ers. For informaon on strategies for reducing urban
heat islands and understanding the role that wetland
restoraon can play, see hp://www.epa.gov/heasld/
resources/pdf/BasicsCompendium.pdf.
Wetland restoraon within the avoid-migate-
compensate framework
In addion to their commitments under the Ramsar
Convenon, many governments have adopted some
form of an avoid-migate-compensate approach to
wetland loss and degradaon (Ramsar HB19). The de-
fault posion should be to avoid negave changes in
ecological character. However, where an impact is con-
sidered unavoidable, wetland restoraon can be used
to both migate and compensate for wetland loss and
degradaon both in terms of area and funcon. Figure
2 demonstrates various roles that wetland restoraon
can play in the avoid-migate-compensate framework,
including avoiding (Figure 2C), migang (Figure 2D)
and compensang (Figure 2E) impacts. In summary, the
role of wetland restoraon in the avoid-migate-com-
pensate framework can be described as:
Avoid Achieved through ex situ wetland restora-
on to avoid in situ degradaon to a wet-
land.
Migate Achieved through ex or in situ restoraon
to reduce impact on a wetland.
Compensate Achieved by ex situ wetland restoraon to
compensate for in situ loss of a wetland.
Consideraon of the benets of wetland restora-
on
Wetland restoraon has the potenal to deliver a range
of benets to mulple stakeholders. Oen the largest
single barrier to achieving this is the failure at the out-
set to simply recognize the wide range of benets that
could potenally be delivered. There are a number of
other barriers which lead to missed opportunies.
• Instuonal and sectoral constructs, and especially
planning systems, may generate a ‘silo’ mentality
where decisions are made for the sole benet of
one sector. For instance, a water company may in-
ternalise the decision-making process to restore a
wetland area to treat or ‘polish’ wastewater, result-
ing in a one-dimensional soluon. The water treat-
ment required could have been delivered through a
similar but modied soluon which engaged other
stakeholders from outside of the connes of the
water company’s singular focus to deliver on a wid-
er range of benets.
• The limitaons resulng from instuonal con-
structs are oen manifest in the adopon of formu-
laic soluons as a result of a lack of lateral thinking
in the decision-making process. This is the ‘busi-
Download PDF at www.ramsar.org/bn/bn4.pdf 11
The benets of wetland restoraon
ness as usual’ scenario where yesterday’s soluon
is applied to tomorrow’s problem without thinking
about novel or innovave soluons. Oen this sim-
ply stores up problems for the future and fails to
apply the latest knowledge available.
• Limited resources, both in terms of experse and
nances, can, perversely, narrow the range of solu-
ons considered rather than broaden the opportu-
nies to engage more widely and consider mulple
benets and stakeholders.
• There may be a lack of understanding of the value
of potenal but less obvious benets delivered by
wetland restoraon or the limitaons in approach-
es to proper benet valuaon.
• There may be a potenal or perceived conict be-
tween restoring wetlands to create wildlife habitat,
or as areas for protected or threatened species, and
the ability of the same wetland to deliver a range of
other valuable benets to people.
A rst step in the decision-making process should be to
recognize all the possible benets that wetland resto-
raon acvies could provide. This might include using
check lists of benets (ecosystem services) and it should
involve mulple stakeholders in a parcipatory process.
The idencaon of mulple benets, spreading across
many sectors and stakeholders, can strengthen the eco-
nomic raonale for wetland restoraon projects or pro-
grammes as the benets increase relave to the costs.
Where mulple benets have been idened and re-
sources are limited, trade-os must be considered. For
instance, the benets associated with the restoraon of
wetlands in order to manage ood risk need to be con-
sidered against other compeng benets, such as hu-
man access and recreaon. In any scenario, cross-sec-
toral approaches will be necessary to resolve possible
trade-os. The key issue is not the method adopted to
manage trade-os but the simple message that trade-
os oen exist and will need to be considered early in
the wetland restoraon planning process.
The cost of restoring a wetland may dier widely ac-
cording to wetland type, the degree of degradaon,
the restoraon objecves, and the local circumstances.
Trade-os may also arise from changes in the ecosys-
tem services provided before and aer restoraon. For
instance, individual landowners and local communies
may receive funding to protect and restore forested
wetlands, in order to conserve biodiversity, reduce
greenhouse gas emissions, protect soils, and migate
natural disasters rather than to connue to intensify
Figure 2. Schemac representaon of wetland restoraon opons for avoiding, migang and compensang for wetland loss or degrada-
on. (A) Starng condions. (B) Development with no avoidance or migaon of impacts to a protected wetland from polluted surface
water run-o. (C) Wetland restoraon (with no discharge) to avoid impacts of development on a protected wetland. (D) Wetland restora-
on (with controlled discharge of appropriate quality and quanty) to migate impact of development on a protected wetland - compen-
saon for any residual impact may sll be required. (E) Wetland restoraon to compensate for the loss of a wetland through development.
(Note: PW Protected wetland; DW Degraded wetland; RW Restored wetland; LW Lost wetland).
12
Ramsar Scienc and Technical Brieng Note no. 4
agricultural pracces (oen termed payments for eco-
system services).
Cost benet analysis should refer to the appraisal of a
project from the perspecve of all of society rather than
from simply the perspecve of those directly involved
in project decision-making. This is not always the case,
however. All wetland restoraon costs and benets
need to be considered in this decision-making process
and the failure to capture all the ecosystem services de-
livered by a wetland restoraon project, and the range
of beneciaries and the me-scale over which benets
will accrue, can inuence the outcome of even the most
rigorous cost benet analysis. It is well understood that
most economies are characterised by market failure,
primarily due to the limited availability of market deter-
mined prices for many ecosystem services. Whilst there
is complexity surrounding the valuaon of non-market
goods and services and how they are considered in cost
benet analysis, methods exist to incorporate these is-
sues in decision-making. Irrespecve of the approach,
however, the assumpon has been that all the benets
are dened. In the case of wetland restoraon, this has
oen not been the case.
In addion to the failure to recognize the occurrence
and value of certain ecosystem services, there are other
reasons why wetland values are not taken into account
properly or fully in decision-making. These include:
• market failures where many wetland benets are
considered public goods provided for free by a wet-
land ecosystem, or so-called externalies, when
the market does not truly reect the social costs or
benets of a change in the delivery of an ecosystem
service;
• perverse incenves where policies or subsidies pro-
vide the inducement for economic acvity which
Costs and benets of mangrove restoraon and shrimp farms in Thailand
A study from Thailand illustrates the importance of recognizing and capturing the potenal value of wetland
restoraon in order to inform management decisions. Since the tsunami in 2004, there has been considerable
interest in restoring mangrove forests on degraded and abandoned coastal ponds for both commercial and non-
commercial purposes. Aquaculture can provide both direct and indirect income to local stakeholders. When
comparing the monetary benets associated with dierent uses, private shrimp farms can generate a return of
US$1,220 per hectare, whereas the forest products from the restored mangroves will return only US$584 per
hectare (values calculated over a nine year period with a 10% discount rate) (see gure below). This supports
a commercial case for shrimp
farming as opposed to the
restoraon of mangrove sys-
tems. However, when other
ecosystem services are con-
sidered, including the impor-
tant role of migang the
impacts of storm damage as
well as the value of the sh-
ery-habitat linkage, the net
benets of mangrove resto-
raon clearly provide a long-
term value which is greater
than the costs of restoraon.
Services enhanced: storm
protecon, food producon,
sheries support, climate
regulaon, carbon sequestra-
on, nave biodiversity, etc.
Sectors beneed: sheries, disaster protecon, rural economy, climate change, livelihoods
Barbier, E. B. 2007. Valuing ecosystem services as producve inputs. Economic Policy. Vol. 49, p.178–229.
Download PDF at www.ramsar.org/bn/bn4.pdf 13
The benets of wetland restoraon
unintenonally impedes wetland restoraon or fur-
ther degrades wetlands;
• unequal distribuon of costs and benets where the
stakeholders who benet from the ecosystem serv-
ice are not the same as the stakeholders who bear
the cost of maintaining the benet; and
• no clear ownership or tenure, as indicated by
clear boundaries, thus making the allocaon of
benets dicult to dene.
In the wetland restoraon planning process these
factors need to be considered carefully to ensure
that the full social costs and benets are account-
ed for, that future perverse outcomes are not de-
livered, and that equity of distribuon of costs and
benets is understood.
Valuing wetland services
The Ramsar Convenon has published technical
informaon on the valuaon of wetland ecosys-
tem services (Ramsar Technical Report No. 3 by de
Groot et al. 2006). A ve-stage framework is pro-
posed for conducng an integrated assessment of
wetland ecosystem services (Figure 3). The main
steps in the guidance are:
• Policy Analysis
• Stakeholder Analysis
• Funcon Analysis (inventory: idencaon
and quancaon of services)
• Valuaon of services.
• Communicaon of the value of wetlands to all
stakeholders and decision-makers.
These ve steps are also linked to cost benet analysis,
mul-criteria analysis, and parcipatory approaches.
This framework demonstrates the importance of recog-
nizing value before moving on to quancaon of the
individual and mulple benets. This construct is also
reected in the approach proposed by The Economics
of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB). The TEEB ap-
proach adopts a ered structure whereby the valuaon
of biodiversity and ecosystem services is accomplished
in a more or less explicit manner according to the site-
specic acvies under consideraon.
TEEB states that the rst step is to idenfy and as-
sess the full range of ecosystem services aected by a
project or plan and to consider the implicaons for dif-
ferent sectors and stakeholders. The second step is to
recognize value, which can then lead to the third which
aempts to esmate and demonstrate the value of eco-
system services. The fourth step involves capturing the
value of ecosystem services and, when required, seek-
ing soluons to overcome their undervaluaon. Finally,
soluons should be sought based on the outcomes gen-
erated by this approach.
Abandoned shrimp aquaculture ponds at Puntondo, Sulawesi,
Indonesia (© R. Lewis)
Figure 3. Framework for integrated assessment and valuaon of wetland
ecosystem services (from de Groot et al., 2006). (Abbreviaons: MFU –
mulfunconal use of wetlands; TEV – total economic value; EIA – environ-
mental impact assessment; PA – parcipatory approaches; DSS – decision
support system; CBA – cost benet analysis; MCA – mul-criteria analysis).
14
Ramsar Scienc and Technical Brieng Note no. 4
Linkages with existing guidance
Types of guidance
A multude of wetland restoraon guidance exists for
various end-users including policymakers, implement-
ing agencies, and praconers on the ground. Guid-
ance takes many forms from published literature (both
grey and peer-reviewed), case studies, web-based re-
sources, and training courses. In addion, Ramsar has
produced a range of adopted guidance which should be
considered when wetland restoraon is being planned.
Similarly, there is a considerable body of knowledge on
wetland restoraon contained in the Ramsar Wise Use
Handbooks (see Annex 1).
Publicly available guidance, tools and technolo-
gies
Many publicly available guidance, tools and technolo-
gies for restoraon exist, produced and distributed by
naonal and local governments, NGOs, researchers, and
community-based organizaons around the world. They
target various audiences with dierent levels of speci-
city, including policy- and decision-makers, implement-
ing agencies, and on-the-ground praconers. General
guidance oen takes the form of instrucon, advice
or direcon that explains the fundamentals of restor-
ing a degraded wetland, while tools and technologies
describe specic methods, materials, and devices used
to design, implement and monitor wetland restoraon.
The Convenon on Biological Diversity is now compiling
and consolidang publicly available guidance, tools and
technologies for ecosystem restoraon for distribuon
at CBD COP11 in October 2012.
The following are a few examples by wetland type that
illustrate the wide availability of guidance. This is not
meant to be a comprehensive list nor is it to be inferred
that these guidance documents have universal appli-
cability. In addion, it is important to note that these
illustrave examples are not endorsed by the authors
or the Ramsar Convenon, but are meant to encour-
age wetland managers and others interested in wetland
restoraon to access the available guidance, tools and
technologies, including cases studies and best pracces,
for informaon that is most relevant to their site-spe-
cic circumstances. An Internet search engine is a good
place to start.
All Wetlands
The Wetland Restoraon Specialist Group (Wetlands
Internaonal), through its publicaons, expert database
and case studies, promotes the successful restoraon
and conservaon of wetlands worldwide by develop-
ing networks and by encouraging informaon exchange
and cooperaon. hp://www.wetlands.org/Aboutus/
Specialistgroups/WetlandRestoraonSpecialistGroup/
tabid/1120/Default.aspx
Wetland Habitats: A Praccal Guide to Restoraon and
Management (CSIRO Publishing, Australia) is a prac-
cal and easy to use manual for wetland restoraon and
conservaon of diverse animal species. hp://www.
publish.csiro.au/nid/21/pid/6349.htm
An Introducon and User’s Guide to Wetland Resto-
raon, Creaon, and Enhancement (US Environmental
Protecon Agency) is wrien for the public containing
1) background on wetlands and restoraon, 2) informa-
on on project planning, implementaon, and moni-
toring, and 3) lists of resources, contacts, and funding
Raising awareness of value – The Economics of
Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB)
In 2007, before the magnitude of western economic
downturn was truly manifest, the environment min-
isters from the governments of the G8+5 countries
agreed to “iniate the process of analysing the glo-
bal economic benet of biological diversity, the costs
of the loss of biodiversity and the failure to take pro-
tecve measures versus the costs of eecve con-
servaon.” This iniave was termed The Economics
of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB).
The TEEB study drew aenon to the economic ben-
ets of biodiversity and has developed a basis for
evaluang the stock of natural capital and the ow of
ecosystem services through a ered approach which
seeks to recognize, demonstrate and capture value.
Under some circumstances the ability to simply rec-
ognize value may be sucient to highlight important
ecosystem services so that monetary valuaon may
be unnecessary, or even counterproducve if it is
seen as contrary to cultural norms or fails to reect a
plurality of values.
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity
(TEEB). 2010. The Economics of Ecosystems and Bio-
diversity: Mainstreaming the Economics of Nature:
A synthesis. Retrieved August 15, 2011, from hp://
www.teebweb.org.
Download PDF at www.ramsar.org/bn/bn4.pdf 15
The benets of wetland restoraon
sources. hp://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/pdf/
restdocnal.pdf
Restoring a Wetland (Waikato Regional Council, New
Zealand) presents a simple owchart to nd out more
about each step in the restoraon process and allows
the users to create their own Wetland Plan. hp://www.
waikatoregion.govt.nz/Environment/Natural-resourc-
es/Water/Freshwater-wetlands/Restoring-a-wetland/
Peatlands
The Global Peatland Restoraon Manual (Greifswald
University, Germany) presents a science-based and prac-
cal guide to peatland restoraon for policy-makers and
site managers. The work has relevance to all peatlands
of the world but focuses on the four core regions of the
UNEP-GEF project “Integrated Management of Peat-
lands for Biodiversity and Climate Change”: Indonesia,
China, Western Siberia, and Europe. hp://www.imcg.
net/media/download_gallery/books/gprm_01.pdf
The Peatland Restoraon Guide (Canadian Sphagnum
Peat Moss Associaon and New Brunswick Department
of Natural Resources and Energy) was developed as a
praccal tool for restoring milled peatlands. hp://
www.peatmoss.com/pm-restguide.php
Rivers and Lakes
Manual of River Restoraon Techniques (River Restora-
on Centre, UK) is presented in 11 separate parts, each
part encompassing a signicant acvity, or objecve,
that may typically be included in a restoraon project
brief, with examples of techniques that may be useful
in achieving the specic objecves. hp://www.therrc.
co.uk/rrc_manual.php
River Restoraon Manual (Government of Western
Australia) is a series of guidelines that provide a guide
to the nature, rehabilitaon and long-term manage-
ment of waterways in Western Australia and are in-
tended to be used by river restoraon group coor-
dinators and other people who are acvely involved
with river restoraon. hp://www.water.wa.gov.au/
Managing+water/Rivers+and+estuaries/Restoring/
River+restoraon+manual/default.aspx
The Lakes Handbook, Volume 2: Lake Restoraon and
Rehabilitaon (Wiley Publisher, UK) provides an up-to-
date overview of the applicaon of ecologically sound
approaches, methods and tools with parcular emphasis
on sustainability, restoraon and rehabilitaon. hp://
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/book/10.1002/9780470750506
Estuaries and Tidal Wetlands
EC Guidance on the Implementaon of the EU Nature
Legislaon in Estuaries and Coastal Zones (European
Commission) provides sector-specic guidance on the
implementaon of the Birds and Habitats Direcves in
estuaries and coastal zones, and also helps cizens and
stakeholders to beer understand key provisions of the
Direcves. hp://ec.europa.eu/transport/marime/
doc/guidance_doc.pdf
Restoraon Science Strategy: A Framework (US Na-
onal Estuarine Research Reserve System) describes
the current and potenal role of the NERRS in restora-
on science and provides a framework for how the re-
serve system can contribute more fully to the successful
restoraon of estuaries through science and educaon.
http://nerrs.noaa.gov/Doc/PDF/Stewardship/NERR-
SRSSFramewk.pdf
Saltmarsh Management Manual (UK Department of
the Environment, Food and Rural Aairs) describes
what it is that needs to be managed and aims to help
develop an understanding of how to evaluate the need
for management intervenon and the form that inter-
venon might take. hp://publicaons.environment-
agency.gov.uk/PDF/SCHO0307BMKH-E-E.pdf
Community Estuarine Monitoring Manual (South Aus-
tralia Environment Protecon Agency) presents an es-
tuarine monitoring framework that is suitable for use by
a wide range of community groups, including a range of
acvies that these groups may wish to explore. hp://
www.epa.sa.gov.au/xstd_les/Water/Report/cemm_a.
pdf
Design Guidelines for Tidal Wetland Restoraon in the
San Francisco Bay (Philip Williams & Assoc., Ltd., The
Bay Instute, and the California State Coastal Conserv-
ancy) was produced for all individuals who have some
degree of responsibility for decisions made on dal
wetland restoraon design, including regulatory agen-
cy sta, land managers, resource managers and res-
toraon praconers. hp://www.wrmp.org/design/
Guidelines_Report-Final.pdf
Mangroves
Five Steps to the Successful Ecological Restoraon of
Mangroves (Mangrove Acon Project) illustrates ve
important steps that should be tailored to each unique
situaon and coastal region where mangrove restora-
on is being aempted. hp://www.mangroverestora-
on.com/pdfs/mangrove_restoraon.pdf.
16
Ramsar Scienc and Technical Brieng Note no. 4
Best Pracce Guidelines on Restoraon of Mangroves
in Tsunami Aected Areas (Wetlands Internaonal)
provides the reader with appropriate knowledge and
understanding of mangrove silviculture (planng) for
coastal protecon. hp://www.wetlands.org/LinkClick.
aspx?lecket=EaD3s%2Bil5Mw%3D&tabid=56
Mangrove Forest Restoraon in Andhra Pradesh, India
(MS Swaminathan Research Foundaon, India) reects
the process and results of restoraon acvies carried
out over seven years by the project Coastal Wetlands:
Mangrove Conservaon and Management and is meant
for foresters, eld technicians, researchers and oth-
ers interested in restoraon of degraded mangroves.
http://www.globalrestorationnetwork.org/uploads/
les/CaseStudyAachments/60_andhra-pradesh.pdf
Coral Reefs
Reef Restoraon Concepts and Guidelines (The Coral
Reef Targeted Research & Capacity Building for Man-
agement Programme) contains simple advice on coral
reef restoraon for coastal managers, decision makers,
technical advisers and others who may be involved in
community-based reef restoraon eorts. hp://www.
gefcoral.org/Portals/53/downloads/Summary_bro-
chure%20and%20restoraon%20gdlines/Reef%20Res-
toraon%20Concepts%20%26%20Guidelines.pdf
Manual for Restoraon and Remediaon of Coral
Reefs (Japan Ministry of Environment) collects the
methods, achievements, and problems of measures in-
cluding 1) seeding producon and selement inducon
by ulizing coral sexual reproducon, 2) transplantaon
of coral fragments by ulizing asexual reproducon, 3)
transplantaon of colonies or enre reef, and 4) man-
agement of seled seeding, transplanted colonies and
coral communies. hp://www.coremoc.go.jp/report/
RSTR/RSTR2004a.pdf
Seagrass Meadows and Shellsh Beds
Restoraon of Seagrass Meadows (Oceania) describes
recent techniques for seagrass restoraon that may
be divided into two basic groups: 1) acvies focused
on collecng and transplanng plants, and 2) acvies
focused on obtaining and planng seeds. hp://www.
pradariasmarinhas.com/restoraon_manual.pdf
Guidelines for the Conservaon and Restoraon of
Seagrasses in the United States and Adjacent Waters
(US Naonal Oceanic and Atmospheric Administraon)
discusses important issues that should be addressed in
planning seagrass restoraon projects, describes dier-
ent planng methodologies, and proposes monitoring
criteria and means for evaluang success.hp://www.
seagrassrestoraonnow.com/docs/Fonseca%20et%20
al%201998.pdf
A Praconer’s Guide to the Design & Monitoring of
Shellsh Restoraon Projects (The Nature Conservan-
cy) was wrien to help restoraon praconers design
and monitor shellsh restoraon projects that restore
not only the populaons of target shellsh species –
primarily clams, oysters, scallops – but also the ‘eco-
system services’ associated with healthy populaons
of these organisms. hp://www.habitat.noaa.gov/pdf/
tncnoaa_shellsh_hotlinks_nal.pdf
Wetland restoraon training
Whilst there is considerable literature available, the
skills and experience required to implement wetland
restoraon on the ground should not be underesmat-
ed. Formal training in both the science and pracce of
wetland restoraon and “lessons learned” from past
failures is essenal to overcome the endless cycle of
repeated failures and wasted funds common for some
wetland restoraon project types. Given the rate of
wetland loss and degradaon, there is an urgency to en-
suring that there are adequately trained personnel who
both understand the principles underpinning wetland
restoraon and recognize the benets that wetland res-
toraon can deliver.
References
Acreman, M.C., Fisher, J., Straord, C.J., Mould, D.J. &
Mounord, J.O. 2007. Hydrological science and wetland
restoraon: some case studies from Europe. Hydrology
and Earth Sciences. Vol. 11(1), p.158-169.
Alexander, S., et al. 2011. Opportunies and challenges
for ecological restoraon within REDD+. Restoraon
Ecology. Vol. 19(6), p.683-689
Bullock, J.M. et al. 2011. Restoraon of ecosystem serv-
ices and biodiversity: conicts and opportunies. Trends
in Ecology and Evoluon. Vol. 26, No. 10, p.541-549.
Erwin, K.L. (2009). Wetlands and Global Climate Change:
The Role of Wetland Restoraon in a Changing World.
Wetlands Ecology and Management 17: 71-84.
Finlayson, C. M., Davidson, N., Pritchard, D.E., Milton,
G.R. & Mackay, H. 2011. The Ramsar Convenon and
ecosystem-based approaches to the wise use and sus-
Download PDF at www.ramsar.org/bn/bn4.pdf 17
The benets of wetland restoraon
tainable development of wetlands. Journal of Wildlife
Law and Policy. Vol. 14, p.176-198.
de Groot, R.S., Stuip, M.A.M., Finlayson, C.M. & Dav-
idson, N. 2006. Valuing wetlands: guidance for valuing
the benets derived from wetland ecosystem services,
Ramsar Technical Report No. 3/CBD Technical Series No.
27. Ramsar Convenon Secretariat, Gland, Switzerland
& Secretariat of the Convenon on Biological Diversity,
Montreal, Canada. 46pp.
Kumar, R., Horwitz, P., Milton, G.R., Sellamuu, S.S.,
Buckton, S.T., Davidson, N.C., Panaik, A.K., Zavagli, M.
2011. Assessing wetland ecosystem services and pov-
erty interlinkages: a general framework and case study.
Hydrological Sciences Journal. Vol. 56(8), p.1602-1621.
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA). 2005. Ecosys-
tems and Human Well-being: Wetlands and Water Syn-
thesis. World Resources Instute, Washington, DC.
Moreno-Mateos D. et al. 2012. Structural and Func on-Structural and Funcon-
al Loss in Restored Wetland Ecosystems. PLoS Biol 10(1):
e1001247.doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001247
Rey Benayas, J.M. et al. 2009. Enhancement of biodiver-
sity and ecosystem services by ecological restoraon: a
meta-analysis. Science 325, 1121–1124
Secretariat of the Convenon on Biological Diversity,
2004. The Ecosystem Approach (CBD Guidelines). Mon-
treal: Secretariat of the Convenon on Biological Diver-
sity. 50 p.
Society for Ecological Restoraon (SER) Science and Pol-
icy Working Group. 2004. The SER Internaonal Primer
on Ecological Restoraon. www.ser.org & Tucson: Soci-
ety for Ecological Restoraon
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB).
2010. The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity:
Mainstreaming the Economics of Nature: A synthesis.
Retrieved August 15, 2011, from hp://www.teebweb.
org.
Acknowledgements
Thanks are due to the government of Finland for pro-
viding funding for development and producon of this
Brieng Note; to Robert Oates, Execuve Director of the
Thames Rivers Restoraon Trust, for his contribuon to
the wring workshop and helpful comments on dra
text; to STRP member Kevin Erwin for his overall coordi-
naon of the Themac Work Area 8 and inputs to early
dras of the Brieng Note; and to Nick Davidson of the
Ramsar Secretariat for his support and advice.
The nal producon of the Brieng Note has been
aided greatly by the comments and suggesons made
by members the reference review group, and thanks
are also due to Hiromi Yamashita (Japan), Mark Bach-
mann (Australia), James Aronson (France), Robin Lewis
(USA), An Cliquet (Belgium), Anne Tolvanen (Finland),
Cui Lijuan (China), Rory Harrington (Ireland), Tuomas
Haapalehto (Finland), Max Finlayson (Australia), Elif
Okomus (Turkey), Lars Dinesen (Denmark) and Francis-
co Comin (Spain).
Dwight Peck and Monica Zavagli of the Ramsar Secre-
tariat are thanked for their assistance with formang
and publicaon of this Brieng Note.
Reooded farmland in Germany (© Robert J. McInnes)
18
Ramsar Scienc and Technical Brieng Note no. 4
Annex 1: Linkages with existing Ramsar guidance
The Conference of the Pares to the Ramsar Convenon have agreed principles and guidelines for wetland res-
toraon (adopted as the annex to Resoluon VIII.16 (2002), available as Secon F of Ramsar Wise Use Handbook
19 (Addressing change in wetland ecological character), 4th edion, 2010). Throughout the step-wise applicaon
of these principles (see Flowchart 1), there are
both explicit and implicit linkages to a range of
other Ramsar-related guidance in the form of
Wise Use Handbooks (HB) and Ramsar Techni-
cal Reports (RTRs).
In addion to the restoraon-related guidance,
the Ramsar Convenon has also adopted Reso-
luons on the subject, oen with supporng
documentaon which are sector-specic. In-
formaon contained within the sector-specic
Resoluons also relates to wetland restoraon.
The following idenfy some of the adopted
sector specic guidance:
• Environmental Impact Assessment (Ram-
sar HB13)
• Strategic Environmental Assessment (Ram-
sar HB13)
• Extracve industries (Resoluon X.26)
• Urban and peri-urban planning (Resoluon
X.27)
• Health (Resoluon X.23; RTR6)
• Agriculture (Resoluon VIII.34)
• Climate change (RTR5)
Cross references to the exisng Ramsar Wise
Use Handbooks are provided throughout this
Brieng Note. In order to expand and clarify
theses linkages with the various issues and
concepts idened in the Brieng Note, ex-
plicit references are provided in the following
table.
Flowchart 1. Guidelines for wetland restoraon. Numbers correspond to num-
bers in column one of the table below.
1. Identify stakeholders and involve stakeholders with all aspects of work
2. Establish project goals, objectives, & performance standards
3. Identify/screen
candidate sites Is site specified?
Select target site Conduct preliminary
site investigation
4. Sites compatible with objectives and standards?
5. Compare conceptual design plans with
potential to satisfy project objectives
Develop detailed design plan
Construct project to specifications
6. Implement monitoring programme
8. Take remedial action
9. PROJECT SUCCESSFUL
Are objectives feasible?
7. Reconsider original
objectives
NO
NO
NO
YES
NO
YES
YES
Performance standards
satisified?
Download PDF at www.ramsar.org/bn/bn4.pdf 19
The benets of wetland restoraon
Ramsar Wise Use
Handbook
Secon of Handbook Issues addressed
HB7 Parcipatory
Skills
Secon I: Guidelines for establishing and
strengthening local communies’ and indige-
nous people’s parcipaon in the management
of wetlands
How to engage with local communies
• Building trust with stakeholders
• Knowledge exchange
• Understanding wetland values and ben-
ets to local communies
Appendix 1: Case study summaries • Case studies
• Author contact details
HB1 Wise Use of
Wetlands
Secon I: A Conceptual Framework for the wise
use of wetlands and the maintenance of their
ecological character
• Denion of wise use
• Denion of ecological character
• Millennium Ecosystem Assessment re-
sponse opons
HB2 Naonal Wet-
land Policies
Secon 3.4: Policy implementaon strategies • Measures of implementaon
Appendix 1: Priories for establishment of
wetland policies
• Acons to be undertaken
Case Study 6: Compliance strategies • Case study including wetland restoraon
HB9 River Basin
Management
2.3 Understanding integraon in the context of
Ramsar, wetlands, and river basin management
• Context of restoraon within river basin
management
Guidelines Box J: Guidelines for Contracng
Pares relang to inventory, assessment and
enhancement of the role of wetlands in river
basin management
• Consideraon of wetland restoraon
within river basin plans
Addional Informaon:
Economic instruments, including Payment for
Ecosystem Services in Watersheds
• Economic benets of wetland restoraon
within a river basin context
6.3 Planning phase at river basin level • Consideraon of wetland restoraon in
river basin planning
Guidelines Box L: Guidelines for Contracng
Pares for priorizing the protecon and resto-
raon of wetlands and their biodiversity
• Priorizaon of wetland restoraon
within river basin plans
HB12 Coastal Man-
agement
Guideline No. 4: Ensuring the recognion by
Contracng Pares of the key role of wetlands
in coastal processes
• Considering the restoraon of coastal
processes
Guideline No. 5: Ensuring the recognion
by Contracng Pares of the role of coastal
wetlands in regulang water ows and water
quality
• The role of wetland restoraon to im-
prove water quality
Guideline No. 6: Ensuring the recognion by
Contracng Pares of the role of coastal wet-
lands in migang impacts of climate change
and sea-level rise
• Wetland restoraon to migate climate
change and sea level rise
Principle 7: Coastal wetlands are highly vulner-
able to degradaon and loss, but although
easily degraded their restoraon is costly and
somemes impossible
• Issues relang to problems of restoring
lost and degraded coastal wetlands
Guideline No. 11: Ensuring that Contracng
Pares consider issues related to the degrada-
on, loss and restoraon of coastal wetlands
• Consideraon of wetland restoraon in
coastal management
HB13 Inventory,
Assessment and
Monitoring
Appendix: Assessment tools contained within
the Integrated Framework for Wetland Inven-
tory, Assessment and Monitoring
• The role of wetland restoraon in migat-
ing impacts
Secon of Ramsar Con-
venon’s guidelines for
wetland restoraon
1. Idenfy/involve
stakeholders
2. Establish project goals
3. Idenfy / screen can-
didate sites
20
Ramsar Scienc and Technical Brieng Note no. 4
HB15 Wetland
Inventory
Background and context Using inventories to set priories for wetland
restoraon
HB9 River Basin
Management
2.3 Understanding integraon in the context of
Ramsar, wetlands, and river basin management
• Context of restoraon within river basin
management
HB10 Water Alloca-
on and Manage-
ment
Secon 5: Tools for determining water alloca-
ons for wetland ecosystems
• Requirements for water quanty and
quality
• Methods for determining water allocaon
for wetlands
Secon 7: Management tools for the imple-
mentaon of water allocaons to wetland
ecosystems
• Understanding water supply and demand
issues
• Implicaons of catchment management
HB11 Managing
Groundwater
Secon 3: An Overview of groundwater-related
wetlands
• Understanding groundwater-surface
water interacons
Secon 4: Understanding groundwater-related
wetlands
• Understanding water balance compo-
nents of wetlands
Annex 1: Water transfer mechanisms in
groundwater-related wetlands
• Hydrological relaonships for dierent
wetland types
HB18 Managing
Wetlands
Secon C: Developing a management planning
process
• Guidance on managing and monitoring
wetlands aer restoraon
HB13 Inventory,
Assessment and
Monitoring
Appendix: Assessment tools contained within
the Integrated Framework for Wetland Inven-
tory, Assessment and Monitoring
• Methods for the long-term monitoring of
restored wetlands
6. Implement moni-
toring programme
5. Develop detailed
design plan
Brieng Notes series
This series is prepared by the Ramsar Convenon’s Scienc and Technical Review Panel (STRP) in order to share rel-
evant, credible and interesng scienc and technical informaon on wetlands with a broad audience. Brieng Notes are
reviewed internally by STRP members and a small internal editorial panel, comprised of the STRP Chair and the responsi-
ble Themac Work Area lead or task lead, assisted by the Convenon’s Deputy Secretary General.
Brieng Notes are published by the Ramsar Convenon Secretariat in English in electronic (PDF) format. When resources
permit, they will be published in French and Spanish as well (the other ocial languages of the Ramsar Convenon) and
in printed form.
A full list of current Brieng Notes can be found at www.ramsar.org/BN. Informaon
about the STRP can be found at: www.ramsar.org/STRP-main/. For more informa-
on about Brieng Notes or to request informaon on how to correspond with their
authors, please contact the Ramsar Secretariat at strp@ramsar.org.
© 2012 The Ramsar Convenon Secretariat
Authors: Sasha Alexander, STRP Representave of the Society for Ecological Restora-
on. Contact: sasha@ser.org; Robert J. McInnes, STRP Representave of the Society
of Wetland Sciensts. Contact: rob@rmwe.co.uk.
Citaon: Alexander, S., and McInnes, R. 2012. The benets of wetland restoraon.
Ramsar Scienc and Technical Brieng Note no. 4. Gland, Switzerland: Ramsar
Convenon Secretariat.
The views and designaons expressed in this publicaon are those of its authors
and do not represent ocially-adopted views of the Ramsar Convenon or its Sec-
retariat.
This publicaon may be reproduced for educaonal or non-commercial purposes
without special permission from the copyright holders, provided acknowledgement
of the source is made. The Secretariat would appreciate receiving a copy of any
publicaons that use this document as a source.
The Convenon on Wetlands
(Ramsar, Iran, 1971) – called
the Ramsar Convenon – is an
intergovernmental treaty that
embodies the commitments of
its member countries to main-
tain the ecological character of
their Wetlands of Internaonal
Importance and to plan for the
"wise use", or sustainable use,
of all of the wetlands in their
territories.
Ramsar Convenon Secretariat
Rue Mauverney 28
CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland
Tel.: +41 22 999 0170
Fax: +41 22 999 0169
E-Mail: ramsar@ramsar.org
Website: www.ramsar.org
