[Back]
[text from the 1995 edition]
IUCN-The World Conservation Union
Founded in 1948, The World Conservation Union brings together States, government agencies and a diverse range of non-governmental organizations in a unique world partnership: over 800 members in all, spread across some 130 countries. As a Union, IUCN seeks to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable. The World Conservation Union builds on the strengths of its members, networks and partners to enhance their capacity and to support global alliances to safeguard natural resources at local, regional and global levels.
WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature
WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature is the world's largest private international conservation organization, with 28 Affiliate and Associate National Organizations around the world and over 5.2 million regular supporters. WWF continues to be known as World Wildlife Fund in the United States and Canada.
International Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau (IWRB)
IWRB was established in 1954 and is the only independent global organization concerned primarily with the conservation of wetland ecosystems. IWRB's goal is to promote the conservation of wetlands and wetland biodiversity, particularly waterbirds, by stimulating and coordinating international technical cooperation. This is achieved by coordinating international projects, organizing training workshops and disseminating information through conferences, workshops and publications. IWRB is governed by an Executive Board comprising national delegates from 45 member countries together with coordinators of more than 20 specialist networks which group international experts in wetland and waterbird management and conservation.
[Web editor's note: IWRB became Wetlands International; the IWRB entity is obsolete].
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a worldwide partnership of over 100 national organizations working for the conservation of birds and their habitats and, through this, for the diversity of all life. BirdLife International pursues a programme of scientific research to identify the most threatened bird species and the most critical sites for avian diversity, field action to address these priorities, advocacy and policy development, and network building, to expand the global partnership of conservation organizations.
The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat, sometimes known as the Ramsar Convention from its place of adoption in 1971 in Iran, is an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for international cooperation for the conservation of wetland habitats. The Convention entered into force in 1975 and now has Contracting Parties from regions throughout the world. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) serves as Depositary for the Convention. The secretariat, or Bureau, is an independent body sharing headquarters with IUCN in Gland, Switzerland.
[Back]