Ramsar COP11 DR8 Annex 1, page 41
Ramsar COP11 DR8 Annex 1
Explanatory Notes from the Secretariat
1. In the RIS fields in this text version below, all ‘multiple-choice tick-box’ options are shown in tabular formats so that Contracting Parties can see the full contents of this RIS – 2012 revision.
2. However, following COP11 the Secretariat proposed that this tabular format will be changed in the preparation of the final MS Word text version of the RIS to having these ‘multiple-choice’ fields appear as ‘drop-down menus’ – i.e., in a format and structure similar to that already successfully used for the COP10 and COP11 National Report Formats.
3. Likewise, this drop-down menu structure will also be used in the planned ‘on-line submission’ option for the RIS – 2012 revision, with the additional functionality in the on-line tool that those fields required only when an update to an RIS is being made will appear only when the ‘Updated information on an existing Ramsar Site.’ option is ticked in RIS field 5.
Ramsar Site Information Sheet (RIS) – 2012 revision
NOTES TO COMPILERS
1. The RIS must be completed in one of the Convention’s three working languages, namely English, French, or Spanish. The RIS and the accompanying Strategic Framework and guidelines for the future development of the List of Wetlands of International Importance of the Convention on Wetlands are available in each of these three working languages. Please read the guidance in the Strategic Framework before starting to complete the Ramsar Information Sheet. It provides significant guidance on each section in the Information Sheet.
2. Once completed the RIS and map(s), should be officially submitted to the Ramsar Secretariat by the Administrative Authority of the Contracting Party concerned.
3. The information provided by Contracting Parties in the RIS, including any supplementary information, and held in the Ramsar Sites Database is also made publicly available through the Ramsar Site Information Service website (http://ramsar.wetlands.org).
4. Important note on completion of RIS fields. Please note that it is not expected that most Contracting Parties will be able to complete all fields for all Ramsar Sites. Data, information and capacity are all variable worldwide and develop through time. Compilers should consider the following principles:
a) If no information exists relating to a specific field, please leave this field uncompleted (or indicate ‘unknown’). After completing the RIS, an overall assessment of those issues that are lacking information should guide future priorities for research and survey at the site (for example, within the context of the site’s management plan).
b) Recording some information – even if this is an incomplete or merely provisional assessment – is more useful than giving no information at all. Provisional assessments of knowledge are useful and can be expanded in subsequent updates of the RIS, so Parties are urged to complete as much of the form as possible.
c) Please focus on the following sections as priorities for completion (to the extent that available information allows): Part 1 (fields 1-11), Part 2 (field 12) and the ecological character statement in field 13 of Part 3. Part 4 (fields 28-35) contains important information on site management and should be completed if possible.
5. Examples of completed RISs in this 2012 revision format are available at http://ris-2012.wikispaces.com, and it is strongly advised that these are reviewed before compiling this form.
6. Fields back-shaded in light blue relate to data and information required only for RIS updates.
7. In order to assist Contracting Parties when they are preparing an RIS update for a designated Ramsar Site, for each of the fields in the 2012 revision format, a cross-reference is provided to the equivalent field in the RIS 2009-2012 version.
8. Note that some fields concerning aspects of Part 3, the ecological character description of the RIS (tinted in purple), are not expected to be completed as part of a standard RIS, but are included for completeness so as to provide the requested consistency between the RIS and the format of a ‘full’ Ecological Character Description, as adopted in Resolution X.15 (2008). If a Contracting Party does have information available that is relevant to these fields (for example from a national format Ecological Character Description) it may, if it wishes to, include information in these additional fields.
Contents
Part 0. Summary paragraph 4
Part 1. Administrative and locational details 4
Part 1.1 About this form 4
Part 1.2 About the site’s location 9
Part 2. Why is this site internationally important? (Criteria for designation) 12
Part 3. What is the site like? (Ecological character description) 16
Part 3.1 Ecological components 16
Part 3.2 Ecological processes 30
Part 3.3 Ecosystem services 31
Part 4. How is the site managed? (Conservation and management) 34
Part 4.1 Land tenure and responsibilities (‘Managers’) 34
Part 4.2 Ecological character threats and responses (‘Management’) 36
Part 5. Providing additional information relevant to this Ramsar Site 43
For Secretariat use only: / Ramsar Site no. / Date of designation by Contracting Party / Date of update by Contracting Party(RIS updates only)
XXXX / DD/MM/YYYY / DD/MM/YYYY
Ramsar COP11 DR8 Annex 1, page 41
/ Explanatory notes and cross-references to further guidance /Part 0. Summary paragraph
0. Summary description of the Ramsar Site
Please provide a short paragraph summarising the location and key ecological characteristics of the site. This should give a concise summary of the site.
/ Text length should be between 100-300 words
For further guidance see section 7.1.3 of the Strategic Framework.
Field #12 from RIS 2009-2012 version
Part 1. Administrative and locational details
Part 1.1 About this form
1. Name and address (both postal and e-mail) of those responsible for compiling this form
Name and address:
a) Compiler of the RIS form / Name:
Institution/agency:
Postal address:
E-mail:
Telephone:
Fax:
b) National Administrative Authority for the Ramsar Convention / Name:
Institution/agency:
Postal address:
E-mail:
Fax:
Telephone:
Website (if appropriate):
/ For further guidance see section 7.2.1 of the Strategic Framework.
Fields #1 and #32 from RIS 2009-2012 version)
2. Period of collection of data and information used to compile the sheet
Period of data & information collection
From Year x: / To Year y:
a) Period when the data and information for the sheet for a newly designated site was compiled
b) Period when the data and information for revision of an existing sheet was updated [for updated RIS only]
/ For further guidance see section 7.2.2 of the Strategic Framework.
Fields #2 from RIS 2009-2012 version, with content clarification
3. Country
/ For further guidance see section 7.2.3 of the Strategic Framework.
Field #3 from RIS 2009-2012 version
4. Name of the Ramsar Site
The official name of the designated site in one of the three official languages (English, French or Spanish) of the Convention.
Official name at designation:
If there is a non-official, alternative name, including for example in a local language, provide it here:
Non-official name:
/ For further guidance see sections 5.11 and 7.2.4 of the Strategic Framework.
Field #4 from RIS 2009-2012 version
5. Designation of new Ramsar Site or update of information related to an existing Site
This RIS is for (tick one box only):
a) Designation of a new Ramsar Site; or
b) Updated information on an existing Ramsar Site.
/ For further guidance see section 7.2.5 of the Strategic Framework.
Field #5 from RIS 2009-2012 version
6. Changes to the site since its designation or earlier update. (FOR RIS UPDATES ONLY)
6a) Site boundary and area
Please indicate all relevant categories that apply to the Site.
A. Changes to Site boundary (tick one box only):
i. No change to boundaries; or
ii. the boundary has been delineated more accurately; or
iii. the boundary has been extended; or
iv. the boundary has been restricted (see Important Note below)
B. Changes to Site area (tick one box only):
i. No change to area; or
ii. the area has increased; or
iii. the area has decreased
C. If the Site area has changed, what are the reason(s)? (complete only if B ii. or B.iii. above has been ticked) :
i. the Site area has been calculated more accurately; and/or
ii. the Site has been delineated more accurately; and/or
iii. the Site area has increased because of a boundary extension; or
iv. the Site area has decreased because of a boundary restriction (see Important Note below)
*** Important note: If the boundary of the designated site is being restricted/reduced, before submitting this updated RIS to the Secretariat the Contracting Party should have followed:
· the requirements in Article 2.5 of the Convention; or
· the procedures established by the Conference of the Parties in the annex to Resolution VIII.20 (2002); or
· where appropriate instead, the procedures in the annex to Resolution IX.6 (2005).
Contracting Parties should also have provided to the Secretariat a report on changes prior to the submission of an updated RIS. / For further guidance see section 7.2.6 of the Strategic Framework.
Field #6a from RIS 2009-2012 version
6b) Has the ecological character of the Ramsar Site (including applicable Criteria) changed since the previous RIS?
No
Yes / If Yes, are the changes: / Positive or / Negative
If Yes, are changes the result of (tick each category which applies):
Changes resulting from causes operating within the existing boundaries?
Changes resulting from causes operating beyond the site’s boundaries?
Changes resulting from causes operating both inside and outside the site’s boundaries?
Changes consequent upon site boundary reduction alone (e.g., the exclusion of some wetland types formerly included within the site)?
Changes consequent upon site boundary increase alone (e.g., the inclusion of different wetland types in the site)?
If yes, please also complete field 6c below to describe these changes
/ Field #6b from RIS 2009-2012 version, expanded
6c) Changes to the ecological character of the Ramsar Site
i) Please describe any changes to the ecological character of the Ramsar Site, including in the application of the Criteria, since the previous RIS for the site.
ii) If the change of ecological character is negative and human-induced, has an Article 3.2 report been submitted to the Secretariat? / YES / NO
/ Field #6b from RIS 2009-2012 version
Part 1.2 About the site’s location
7. Defining the site
The provision of a map with clearly defined boundaries is required for Ramsar Site listing. This question is about the format of the map provided.
A map of the site, with clearly delineated boundaries, is provided in the following formats:
i) a map in electronic format (e.g., a JPEG or ArcView image):
ii) a GIS shape file providing geo-referenced site boundary (preferably WGS 1984) and attribute table:
At the discretion of the Contracting Party, it would be helpful if an additional written description of the boundary of the site (and any associated defining features such as boundary at the low or high watermark for coastal sites) can be provided here:
/ For further guidance see section 7.2.7 and especially Appendix C of the Strategic Framework.
Field #7 from RIS 2009-2012 version
8. Geographical coordinates
Provide the coordinates of the approximate centre of the site expressed in degrees, minutes, and seconds of latitude and longitude (e.g., in the format: 01°24’15’’S 104°16’12”E or 010°30’15”N 084°51’28’’W):
Degrees ( ° ) / Minutes( ’ ) / Seconds ( ’’ ) / N or S; E or W
Latitude
Longitude
If the site is composed of more than one separate area, also provide central coordinates for each of these sub-areas:
Sub-area name: [xxx] / Degrees ( ° ) / Minutes( ’ ) / Seconds ( ’’ ) / N or S; E or W
Latitude
Longitude
Sub-area name: [xxx] / Degrees ( ° ) / Minutes( ’ ) / Seconds ( ’’ ) / N or S; E or W
Latitude
Longitude
/ For further guidance see section 7.2.8 of the Strategic Framework.
Field #8 from RIS 2009-2012 version
9. General location
9a. Geographic location
a) In which large administrative region does the site lie?
b) What is the nearest town or population centre?
9b. For wetlands on national boundaries only
YES / NO
a) Does the wetland itself extend into the territory of one or more other countries?
b) Is the site adjacent to another designated Ramsar Site in the territory of another Contracting Party? /
if so, answer c)
c) Is the site part of a joint transboundary designation with another Contracting Party? /
if so, answer d)
d) Transboundary Ramsar Site name if this is different from those given in field 4 above:
/ For further guidance see section 7.2.9 of the Strategic Framework.
Field #9 from RIS 2009-2012 version
For further guidance see section 5.12 of the Strategic Framework.
10. Area of Ramsar Site
Area, in hectares (ha):
/ For further guidance see section 7.2.10 of the Strategic Framework.
Field #11 from RIS 2009-2012 version
11. Biogeography
Name the relevant biogeographic region(s) that include the Ramsar Site, and identify the biogeographic regionalisation system that has been applied when Criteria 1 and/or 3 and/or certain applications of Criterion 2 are used for the designation:
Name of biogeographic regionalisation scheme used to select Ramsar Site / Tick which regionalisation scheme(s) used / Name of biogeographic region containing Ramsar Site
Marine/coastal sites
Marine Ecoregions of the World (MEOW)
Terrestrial sites
Udvardy’s Biogeographical Provinces
Bailey’s Ecoregions
WWF Terrestrial Ecoregions
EU’s biogeographic regionalisation
Other biogeographic regionalisation scheme (including Freshwater Ecoregions of the World - FEOW) (include reference citation for any other schemes used)
/ For further guidance see sections 5.3 and 7.2.11 of the Strategic Framework.
Field #15 from RIS 2009-2012 version
Part 2. Why is this site internationally important? (Criteria for designation)
12. Ramsar Criteria and their justification
Tick the box against each Criterion applied to the designation of the Ramsar Site. All Criteria which apply should be ticked.
PLEASE NOTE that this section gives an overall summary of which Criteria apply to the site. After completing the first part, please add further information concerning specific plant species (12a), plant communities (12b), animal species (12c) and animal communities (12d), as appropriate, to provide further details on the detailed reasons why each of the Criteria is fulfilled.