To effectively manage wetlands and protect their rich biodiversity wide area views and knowledge of  changes taking place in the ecosystem are necessary. However, as areas involved are often extensive, obtaining ground information through first hand observation can be a challenge.  At the same time wetlands have been very difficult to identify from space.  Globwetland, an initiative led by the European Space Agency, however, is expected to present delegates to the Ninth Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention, in November 2005, with news o­n how satellite mapping may soon change this by offering enhanced practical Earth Observation tools to gather information for the management and conservation of wetlands. Globwetland involves sites in four continents including seven Mediterranean countries, namely, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Algeria and Egypt.

Read the full story ‘Wetlands satellite mapping scheme yielding first results’ o­n the portal of the European Space Agency

More information o­n the Ninth Meeting of the Contracting Parties (CoP9) to the Ramsar Convention is hosted o­n a dedicated section of the website of the Ramsar Convention
 

Updated on 10/13/2005 3:07:10 PM.