Appendix 3: Candidate Ecological Benchmark

Source Type: Criteria for Important Areas

Source Name: Criteria for Wetlands of International Importance

Number: 23/42

Benchmark:
A wetland is identified as being of international importance if it meets at least one of the criteria in four categories:

1. Criteria for representative or unique wetlands
2. General criteria based on plants or animals
3. Specific criteria based on waterfowl
4. Specific criteria based on fish

3. Specific Criteria Based on Waterfowl

A wetland should be considered internationally important if:

(a) it regularly supports 20,000 waterfowl;

(b) it regularly supports substantial numbers of individuals from particular groups of waterfowl, indicative of wetland values, productivity or diversity; or

(c) where data on populations are available, it regularly supports 1 percent of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterfowl.

Applies to whom: Signatories to the Convention

Applies to what: Wetlands of International Importance

Applies where: Member States

Reference:
Rubec, C.D.A. 1999. Criteria and Long-term Targets for the Designation of Wetlands of International Importance in Nomination and Listing of Wetlands of International Importance in Canada. Procedures Manual (Revised Edition). Wildlife Conservation Branch, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada. PDF Format [ http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/habitat/ramsar/docs/PMR2.pdf]. Accessed December 2000.

Evaluation:

Effective: 4

Effective Comments:
Quantitative thresholds; also ambigous terms "substantial numbers of individuals."

Adverse effects to the ecological attributes or habitat functions for which the area is identified as important should be considered significant.

Authoritative: 3

Authoritative Comments: Tied to Ramsar Convention

Relevant: 5

Relevant Comments:
Loss of habitat, obstruction of migration, geographic extent, magnitude of effect

Sound: 3

Sound Comments:
No fundamental biological reason why 1% should be used as a threshold. However, used globally as it seems to afford appropriate degree of protection.

Straightforward: 0

Straightforward Comments:

Practical: 4

Practical Comments:

Total Effective + Authority Score: 7

Total Overall Score: 19

Number: 31/43

Benchmark:
A wetland is identified as being of international importance if it meets at least one of the criteria in four categories:

1. Criteria for representative or unique wetlands
2. General criteria based on plants or animals
3. Specific criteria based on waterfowl
4. Specific criteria based on fish

4. Specific Criteria Based on Fish

A wetland should be considered internationally important if:

(a) it supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species or families, life-history stages, species interactions and/or populations that are representative of wetland benefits and/or values and thereby contributes to global biological diversity; or

(b) it is an important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration path on which fish stocks, either within the wetland or elsewhere, depend.

Applies to whom: Signatories to the Convention

Applies to what: Wetlands of International Importance

Applies where: Member States

Reference:
Rubec, C.D.A. 1999. Criteria and Long-term Targets for the Designation of Wetlands of International Importance in Nomination and Listing of Wetlands of International Importance in Canada. Procedures Manual (Revised Edition). Wildlife Conservation Branch, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada. PDF Format [ http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/habitat/ramsar/docs/PMR2.pdf]. Accessed December 2000.

Evaluation:

Effective: 3

Effective Comments:
Refers to "a significant proportion of indigenous fish" and "an important source of food for fishes..." Adverse effects to the ecological attributes or habitat functions for which the area is identified as important should be considered significant.

Authoritative: 3

Authoritative Comments: Tied to Ramsar Convention

Relevant: 5

Relevant Comments: Health of biota, loss of habitat, commercial species

Sound: 5

Sound Comments: General science principles used

Straightforward: 2

Straightforward Comments:

Practical: 4

Practical Comments:

Total Effective + Authority Score: 7

Total Overall Score: 23

Number: 32/41

Benchmark:
A wetland is identified as being of international importance if it meets at least one of the criteria in four categories:

1. Criteria for representative or unique wetlands
2. General criteria based on plants or animals
3. Specific criteria based on waterfowl
4. Specific criteria based on fish

2. General criteria based on plants or animals

A wetland should be considered internationally important if:

(a) it supports an appreciable assemblage of rare, vulnerable or endangered species or subspecies of plant or animal, or an appreciable number of individuals of any one or more of these species;

(b) it is of special value for maintaining the genetic and ecological diversity of a region because of the quality and peculiarities of its flora and fauna;

(c) it is of special value as a habitat of plants or animals at a critical stage of their biological cycle; or

(d) it is of special value for one or more endemic plant or animal species or communities.

Applies to whom: Signatories to the Convention

Applies to what: Wetlands of International Importance

Applies where: Member States

Reference:
Rubec, C.D.A. 1999. Criteria and Long-term Targets for the Designation of Wetlands of International Importance in Nomination and Listing of Wetlands of International Importance in Canada. Procedures Manual (Revised Edition). Wildlife Conservation Branch, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada. PDF Format [ http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/habitat/ramsar/docs/PMR2.pdf]. Accessed December 2000.

Evaluation:

Effective: 3

Effective Comments:
Somewhat ambiguous terms such as "an appreciable" assemblage of rare, vulnerable or endangered species…" and "quality and peculiarities." Adverse effects to the ecological attributes or habitat functions for which the area is identified as important should be considered significant.

Authoritative: 3

Authoritative Comments: Tied to Ramsar Convention

Relevant: 5

Relevant Comments:
Rare or endangered species, species diversity, health of biota, loss of habitat

Sound: 5

Sound Comments: General science principles used

Straightforward: 0

Straightforward Comments:

Practical: 4

Practical Comments:

Total Effective + Authority Score: 7

Total Overall Score: 21

Number: 35/40

Benchmark:
A wetland is identified as being of international importance if it meets at least one of the criteria in four categories:

1. Criteria for representative or unique wetlands
2. General criteria based on plants or animals
3. Specific criteria based on waterfowl
4. Specific criteria based on fish

1. Criteria for representative or unique wetlands

A wetland should be considered internationally important if:

(a) it is a particularly good representative example of a natural or near-natural wetland, characteristic of the appropriate biogeographical region;

(b) it is a particularly good representative example of a natural or near-natural wetland, common to more than one biogeographical region;

(c) it is a particularly good representative example of a wetland which plays a substantial hydrological, biological or ecological role in the natural functioning of a major river basin or coastal system, especially where it is located in a trans-border position; or

(d) it is an example of a specific type of wetland, rare or unusual in the appropriate biogeographical region.

Applies to whom: Signatories to the Convention

Applies to what: Wetlands of International Importance

Applies where: Member States

Reference:
Rubec, C.D.A. 1999. Criteria and Long-term Targets for the Designation of Wetlands of International Importance in Nomination and Listing of Wetlands of International Importance in Canada. Procedures Manual (Revised Edition). Wildlife Conservation Branch, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada. PDF Format [ http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/habitat/ramsar/docs/PMR2.pdf]. Accessed December 2000.

Evaluation:

Effective: 3

Effective Comments:
Contains somewhat ambiguous adjectives, e.g. "substantial role." Refers to "a representative, rare or unique example" within "the appropriate biogeographic region."

Adverse effects to the ecological attributes or habitat functions for which the area is identified as important should be considered significant.

Authoritative: 3

Authoritative Comments: Tied to Ramsar Convention

Relevant: 5

Relevant Comments: Loss of habitat, natural landscapes

Sound: 5

Sound Comments: General science principles used

Straightforward: 0

Straightforward Comments:

Practical: 4

Practical Comments:

Total Effective + Authority Score: 6

Total Overall Score: 19

|  Appendix 3 - Criteria for Important Areas |