Introduction

Wetlands represent a large variety of inland and coastal habitats, which share a common characteristic: namely land that is saturated with water permanently, seasonally or intermittently. Wetlands are critically important ecosystems that provide local and globally significant social, economic and ecological benefits. They have a multitude of functions, all of which provide services of inestimable value to society. Among other things, they control floods, protect coastal zones and contribute to the hydrological characteristics of river systems. Wetlands host a great diversity of species and are of cultural and economic importance to local and indigenous communities.

Although wetlands in Asia support some of the world’s most significant biodiversity and are a globally important resource for billions of people, their destruction and degradation continues unabated. In the last 50 years it is estimated that over 60% of all wetlands in the region have been degraded.[Back to Top]

Reliable knowledge is the basic resource on which decisions concerning the conservation, management and wise use of wetlands should be made. An inventory is a stock-taking exercise aimed at locating areas that meet the accepted definition of wetlands, facilitating basin wide mapping, determining and recording the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of wetlands, and identifying their functions and values.

Wetland inventory provides a basis for collecting reliable knowledge and making informed decisions concerning the conservation and wise use of wetlands. A wetland inventory can assist Governments and the public to identify wetlands of national and international importance and serve as a basis for prioritising conservation and development initiatives in conjunction with the sustainable management of natural resources, in particular, water, fisheries, forestry and other land uses. [Back to Top]

Why is the AWI needed and how it was conceived
In 1999, Wetlands International undertook a global review of wetland inventories (GRoWI) on behalf of the Ramsar Convention. The review demonstrated that the existing inventory base was inadequate. Lack of a standardised, systematic approach to wetland inventory across the Asian region has made it impossible to accurately assess the extent, pressures and degree of degradation of Asian wetlands.

Recognizing this urgent need, the contracting parties of the Ramsar Convention called on participating governments to collaborate with Wetlands International to review and further develop existing models for wetland inventory.

Responding to this call, the AWI programme was initiated by Wetlands International in 1999 with initial funding support from the Ministry of Environment Japan and the endorsement of the Standing Committee of the Ramsar Convention.

Wetlands International, in collaboration with the Australian National Centre for Tropical Wetland Research (NCTWR), the Wetland Inventory and Monitoring Specialist Group (WIMSG) and the Japanese National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES-CGER) has been responsible for the initial development of the project. [Back to Top]

The AWI provides an effective tool for collecting information for managing natural resources derived from or dependant on wetlands.

The key feature of the AWI is the use of a hierarchical, map-based approach to define the most appropriate land and resource management units at four levels (file size: 152KB) of detail . The level of detail is related to the scale of the maps that are contained within a standardised GIS format.

The hierarchical approach allows for a strategic assessment of information needs at different geographical scales. It further provides a framework for considering individual habitats and sites within and outside of established jurisdictional boundaries.
[Back to Top]

The AWI will cover all of Asia including those countries and territories in western and central Asia, Russia eastwards of the Ural Mountains, and southern and eastern Asia. [Back to Top]

The AWI is seen as an effective tool for the following conventions and international frameworks.

Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS or Bonn Convention)
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, (UNCCD)
Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage (World Heritage Convention)
Asia-Pacific Migratory Waterbird Conservation Strategy: 2001-2005
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

By providing a standardised information base for different international conventions, the AWI can assist in integrating and extending the work of these bodies. [Back to Top]