An active collaboration for the conservation of Mediterranean island wetlands

Based on the experience acquired in the project “Conservation of the island wetlands of Greece” (2004-2013), implemented by WWF Greece and thanks to the support of the MAVA Foundation, the Mediterranean Island Wetlands project (MedIsWet) aspires to establish a network of NGOs, institutes, universities and public authorities.

The project includes actions for the completion of the inventories of all the Mediterranean island wetlands, dissemination of knowledge and promotion of certain conservation measures in local, national and Mediterranean scale.

These are the latest news on the implementation of the MedIsWet project during the autumn 2018.

 

Progress in wetland inventories

Despite the relatively dry “after summer” season, experts from the Centre for Biodiversity Conservation (CCB), the MedIsWet partner in Sardinia (Italy), have visited 50 sites in September and October. Nature Trust Malta inventoried 18 wetlands in the islands of Gozo and Malta in November with the participation of partners from Association Hyla, PIM Initiative, WWF Turkey and WWF Greece.

 

MedIsWet team visiting wetlands in Malta. Photo credit: Eva Tankovic/PIM Initiative

 

New database available

 

 

The Spanish database of the Balearic Island wetlands is now available online. The new layout is clear, simple and very practical, and is based on the Ramsar Sites Information Service (RSIS). All the information is available in Spanish and English.

 

 

Participation in international events

MedIsWet was represented by ten colleagues in the 13th Session of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention (COP13) that was held in Dubai, UAE) on 20-29 October 2018. During a side event on “Enhancing the conservation of Mediterranean Coastal Wetlands”, Thanos Giannakakis, the Coordinator of MedIsWet, presented the project to more than 50 people. He provided an overview of the historical aspects of the project, described its main objectives and focused on the progress achieved on the ground by the 13 project partners. In addition, the legal framework of the island wetlands of France and Italy was presented in the side event “New tools for implementing the Ramsar Convention and Resolutions”.

 

Mr Thanos Giannakakis, from WWF Greece, presenting the MedIsWet project at Ramsar COP13. Photo credit: Tour du Valat

 

WWF Spain, the MedIsWet partner, presented the Balearic Island wetlands during the X Iberian Congress on Water Management and Planning organised in Coimbra (Portugal) on 6-8 September 2018. WWF Spain also presented the Balearic Islands project in Mallorca during the “VII Environmental Conference of the Balearic Islands”, and three papers were published in the conference proceedings.

The project was also presented through a speech to 60 persons and a poster in the 9th Greek Ecological Congress, which took place on 4-7 October 2018. Find the poster here.

In Tunisia, WWF North Africa, the project partner, presented the Tunisian island wetlands at the 1st Conference of the Arabian Journal of Geosciences (CAJG), attended by 35 scientists and held on12-15 November 2018. Find the presentation here. A scientific paper entitled “Conservation of Wetlands on Tunisian Islands: Kerkennah and Kuriat Islands as a Case Study” was published in the SpringerLink Journal on 28 November 2018.

Finally, during the 2nd Mediterranean Plant Conservation Week (MPCW) held in Malta, on 12-16 September 2018, the MedIsWet project was presented through 11 presentations to 60 people in a specific side event. Find the description of the Side event here.

 

Presenting the MedIsWet project during the 2nd Mediterranean Plant Conservation Week (MPCW) held in Malta. Photo credit: Eva Tankovic/PIM Initiative.

 

Training workshop in Malta

In the context of the 2nd Mediterranean Plant Conservation Week, the MedIsWet partners from Association Hyla, PIM Initiative, WWF Turkey and WWF Greece visited Malta on 9-15 November 2018 and helped the Nature Trust to launch the inventory on the Maltese islands wetlands. During these days, five wetlands in Gozo island and 13 wetlands in Malta were visited and inventoried while many ideas were discussed on future restoration actions.

 

A wetland in Malta. Photo credit: T.Giannakakis/WWF Greece

 

 

Other events

  • On 26 September 2018, WWF Turkey presented the island wetlands of Turkey to a local NGO from Ayvalik area.
  • On 26 September 2018, CCB/University of Cagliari presented the wetlands of Sardinia in the PechaKucha Night organised under the Maristanis project.
  • In the context of a seminar held at the Tour du Valat (France) on 9 October 2018, the PIM initiative presented the first results of the inventories for Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily, and the legal framework for the protection of the island wetlands of France and Italy was also presented. Fine the PDF presentation here.
  • An educational day was organized in the primary school of Ouled Bou Ali on 21 October 2018, in Kerkennah Archipelago (Tunisia) by WWF North Africa in collaboration with the local association “Jeunes Sciences Kerkennah”.
  • Nature Trust Malta organised on 30 October 2018 a clean-up action at a flagship wetland.
  • Under the invitation of the “Priroda” public institution, the Association Hyla participated in a workshop on island wetlands for children on the island of Cres (Croatia). The workshop was held in the Beli Visitor Centre and Rescue Centre for Griffon Vultures on 15 November 2018.

 

Presenting the first results of the MedIsWet inventories for Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily at Tour du Valat (France)

 

New communication material

WWF Adria produced seven roll-ups on wetlands in cooperation with Association Hyla. These materials will serve as a mobile exhibition for many mini-events that will take place in the Croatian islands.

 

More information

Visit the website of MedIsWet

Read the story ‘’ Balearic Islands: 15 million tourists and 350 wetlands in 5,000 sq km’’ on the MedIsWet website.

Read the MedIsWet newsletter of the Autumn 2018

 

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Contact

Thanos Giannakakis

MedIsWet project coordinator, WWF Greece

t.giannakakis@wwf.gr