16 October 2001: Workshop 4 “Applying the vision for the Ramsar List”
Mountain Living Waters: Draft Guidelines for designating under-represented wetland types
Prepared during a Ramsar Evian Initiative - WWF Symposium at Evian, May 2001
Mountain ecosystems fulfil essential hydrological functions at local, regional and international levels.
These include capturing and retaining rainwater and/or snow, and progressively releasing this water later.
They act as water sources and regulators, not only in headwater areas but also for entire river basins.
Mountain ecosystems often serve as huge water captures and source areas, whether they are covering
upper parts of river basins (then acting as source area/headwaters) or forming the border of endoreic
(closed) basins.
Many mountain wetlands are unique for their high levels of species diversity and/or endemism. Some of
the key services that mountain ecosystems provide include water supply - liquid or frozen, surface or
underground waters - for entire catchment areas; maintenance and/or balance of the hydrological functions of the
whole basin (flood prevention), water provision for domestic consumption, etc.
The conservation of these functions and their (wise) management are essential for the general balance of
the entire river basins. It represents a major international responsibility for States where mountain
wetland ecosystems are functioning as headwaters of basins that are shared by several countries
downstream. Despite their importance, these mountain wetland ecosystems are under-represented in the
Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
Definition of “Mountain Wetlands”
Mountain wetlands are diverse ecosystems that include underground and surface hydrological systems,
some of which are not specifically mentioned in the Ramsar wetland classification such as glaciers and
glacial areas, glacier forelands, morainic flows, underground lakes or rivers, etc. These wetlands are often
the direct source of international rivers or of major tributaries to them. They may range from low altitude
mountain areas (e.g. the Bongo Range in Central Africa, source area of the Chari River), to middle
mountain areas (e.g. Fouta Djalon in Guinea, source area of rivers such as the Niger and Senegal) or to
higher altitude mountains (e.g. Andean range, source area of rivers such as the Orinoco and the Amazon;
European Alps, source area of rivers such as the Rhine, the Rhône, the Danube; the Himalayas, source
area or rivers such as the Indus, the Brahmaputra, the Ganges, the Mekong; the Australian Great Dividing
Range, source area of rivers such as the Murray and the Darling Rivers).
Link with Ramsar wetland classification
Mountain wetlands are covered under the Ramsar classification system of wetland types, particularly under
the following categories:
i.
Va Alpine wetlands " include alpine meadows, temporary waters from snow melt".
In addition, the following wetland types should also be considered: glaciers, glacier
forelands and morainic flows, alpine freshwater sources and alluvial plains, alpine lakes and
marshes.
ii.
Zg Geothermal wetlands include surface and underground hot springs, crater lakes, etc.
iii.
Zk Karst and other subterranean hydrological systems This includes groundwater flows and
reservoirs and underground rivers.
Mountain wetlands may also fit into one or more existing wetland categories recognized under the Ramsar
classification such as:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
M Permanent rivers/streams, including waterfalls
N. Seasonal/intermittent/irregular rivers/streams
O Permanent freshwater lakes (over 8 ha)
P Seasonal/intermittent freshwater lakes (over 8 ha)
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
xi.
Q Permanent saline/brackish/alkaline lakes
Tp Permanent freshwater marshes/pools
Ts Seasonal/intermittent freshwater marshes/pools
U Non forested peatland
W Shrub-dominated wetlands
Xf Freshwater, tree-dominated wetlands
Xp Forested peatlands
Values and function of mountain wetlands
Mountain wetland ecosystems provide a number of specific functions, notably:
i.
Water supply (water sources and stores, liquid or frozen, surface or underground);
ii.
Maintenance of hydrological functions such as (e.g. headwaters), flood retention or drought
prevention further downstream, thus supporting a favorable water balance in relation to entire
river basin catchments;
iii.
Indicators of climate change trends;
iv.
Importance for cultural, spiritual or religious values, particularly related to traditional uses of
wetlands by specific ethnical groups/communities (for example for certain types of agriculture,
ways of irrigation, forest management, sacred beliefs, etc.);
v.
Importance for biological diversity, related to seasonal water regimes of the wetland, at regional,
international or basin level
vi.
Importance for flood and erosion mitigation in headwater/source areas as well as in entire river
basins
vii.
Endemism of certain plants or animal species (such as flora in Paramos, fish in crater lakes or
gueltas, waterbirds of the Andean Altiplano lakes)
Threats to Mountain wetlands
Mountain wetlands are important for the conservation of biological diversity and hydro-ecological
functions. They are increasingly threatened by negative effects of climate change, increasing human
settlements provoking subsequent deforestation, intensification of agricultural practices, mining activities,
hydropower generation installations and tourism and recreation activities that may profoundly affect
mountain wetlands and consequently downstream ecosystems. The changes in mountain wetland areas is
being brought about by:
i.
Climate change: leading to rapid melting of glacier ice and/or increased precipitation provoking
increased floods downstream.
ii.
Deforestation: leading to soil erosion, floods, earthslides and sedimentation downstream.
iii.
Agricultural practices: leading to drainage, water eutrophication, increased soil erosion,
destruction of natural habitats and biological communities, etc.
iv.
Mining: leading to destruction of natural habitats and biological communities, changes in
hydrology, increased pollution risks, etc., both in the mountain area and downstream;
v.
Hydroelectric power generation: leading to destruction of natural habitats, biological
communities, hydrological functions (flow regimes, etc.), abstraction of water downstream of
dams, biodiversity loss, changes in natural flood regimes, etc.
vi.
Tourism: leading to degradation of habitats and biological communities, or causing high levels of
pollution and disturbance of specific species.
Application of Ramsar selection criteria to mountain wetlands
Criterion 1: This criterion applies particularly to mountain wetland types in relation to their unique
hydrological functions at – especially if it is of a transboundary nature - basin scale. And also in relation to
their altitudinal location.
Criterion 2: This is true for mountain wetland areas such as in the Andes that support vulnerable plant
and animal species. The Lakadh site in the Himalayas supports the breeding population of the globally
threatened Black necked crane (Grus nigricollis).
Criterion 3: This holds for most of the mountain wetland areas for instance in the Himalayas that support
communities of bird and plant species.
Criterion 4: This criterion holds for most mountain wetlands as some of these areas provide refuge for certain
plant species under adverse conditions.
Criterion 5: This is true for mountain wetlands such as those in the Himalayan region that support
several populations of waterbirds at such an altitude, or some alkaline lakes of the South-American
Altiplano (flamingos, grebes, coots and other waterbirds)
Criterion 6: This criterion is true for some of the mountain wetlands that actually serve as home to certain bird
species such as specific flamingo or coot species in the Altiplano in the Andean region.
Criterion 7: Some crater lakes for example fit within this criterion as they support endemic fish species
e.g. cichlids and these have rapidly speciated into an astonishing variety of forms.
Criterion 8: This applies for all mountain wetlands as their location have a basin wide function in relation
to fishes.
Particular issues to be taken into account
Mountain wetlands are particularly sensitive and dynamic ecosystems whose functions and services are of
importance to both people and nature. Some of particular issues that have to be taken into account for
future consideration when designating these wetland types are the following:
i.
Importance of cultural values in the conservation and wise use of certain types of mountain
wetlands and the need to maintain these;
ii.
Need for intervention re mountain wetland areas that are prone to unregulated tourism activities;
iii.
Need to maintain and protect high endemic areas,
iv.
Need to maintain, protect and wisely use areas with important hydrological functions such as
supply of water (e.g. headwaters),
v.
Need for a basin approach to conserve these wetland types,
vi.
Need to take into consideration that these are under- represented wetland types.
Proposed specific discussion points for the Evian Symposium on Mountain Living Waters
Formulate comments or propose amendments on the present draft guidelines on mountain wetlands
Examine the opportunity of establishing, under Group A of Ramsar criteria, a new criterion that would
more specifically focus on value of a wetland for the supply of water and the economic value of it in the
limits of the mountain wetland and/or downstream of these limits, at the scale of a whole basin. Identify a
range of mountain wetlands where to experiment management plans/activities. Ideally, the proposed list
of selected sites should be representative of all biogeographical regions. A preliminary list should be
available for discussion at the next Ramsar Standing Committee meeting