A party to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands must designate at least one site within its territory as a Wetland of International Importance. To assess the benefits associated with these international designations, the authors conducted a survey of 26 Ramsar sites in 18 countries in Africa. After a brief introduction to the Ramsar Convention, the article describes the sites that were surveyed, focusing on the ecosystem services they provide and the challenges they face. The article then examines how the sites are identified with the Ramsar Convention and found that designation provided benefits such as: increased support for protection and management of the sites; increased scientific studies; increased funding opportunities; increased ecotourism; and poverty alleviation. The article concludes with recommendations on how to strengthen the Ramsar Convention in Africa.

In April 2008, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency published a new rule on compensatory mitigation for aquatic resource losses. The preamble noted that an important resource in the development of the new rule was the 2001 National Research Council (NRC) report that comprehensively evaluated the effectiveness of compensatory mitigation efforts and whether they were contributing to the “no net loss” of wetlands. This article, written by nine former members of the NRC Committee on Mitigating Wetland Losses, examines how the new regulation incorporates the primary recommendations set forth in the NRC report. We consider how well the new rule addresses recommendations concerning: the watershed approach; operational guidelines and performance standards; and the treatment of mitigation banks, in-lieu fee programs, and permittee-mitigation. The article concludes with several recommendations to help with achieving the goal of no net loss.

The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat, more commonly knows as the Ramsar Convention, is one international framework used to protect wetlands. At this time, the United States has designated 22 sites as wetlands of international importance. In this Article, Royal C. Gardner and Kim Diana Connolly analyze survey data collected from each of these 22 sites to determine whether and how Ramsar designation benefits these wetland areas. The authors first provide a brief overview of the Ramsar Convention, including its function within the United States. They then break down the survey data, looking at both benefits and problems of Ramsar designation. Finally, they make several recommendations for strengthening Ramsar wihin the United States.

The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat, more commonly knows as the Ramsar Convention, is one international framework used to protect wetlands. At this time, the United States has designated 22 sites as wetlands of international importance. In this Article, Royal C. Gardner and Kim Diana Connolly analyze survey data collected from each of these 22 sites to determine whether and how Ramsar designation benefits these wetland areas. The authors first provide a brief overview of the Ramsar Convention, including its function within the United States. They then break down the survey data, looking at both benefits and problems of Ramsar designation. Finally, they make several recommendations for strengthening Ramsar wihin the United States.