Projects of the Oceania Office

Fourth Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction

The Fourth Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction will take place in Geneva, Switzerland from the 19th to the 23rd of May 2013. Under the headline “Resilient People – Resilient Planet”, delegates will discuss progress to date and future needs for disaster risk reduction efforts. Wetlands International will highlight the role of ecosystems in mitigating the impact of natural hazards and extreme weather events.

World Migratory Bird Day

World Migratory Bird Day will be celebrated around the world on 11-12 May 2013 in order to raise awareness and interest in migratory birds and their conservation. These events offer opportunities for local awareness-raising to celebrate the beauty of birds and the wonder of their migrations. Activities to mark the occasion include bird-watching events, educational programmes, lectures and art exhibitions. 

European River Restoration Conference

The 5th European River Restoration Conference will be held from 11-13 September 2013 in Vienna, Austria. Join Wetlands International and our partners in European river restoration us as we showcase inspiring examples of river restoration and bring together key policy makers and restoration practitioners to share and learn about the successes, challenges and opportunities for river restoration in Europe.

Asia-Pacific Working Group on Migratory Birds and Avian Influenza

Improving our understanding of the role of wild birds in avian influenza, particularly highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been a priority for Wetlands International. To support regional cooperation, the Asia-Pacific Working Group on Migratory Birds and Avian Influenza beings together representatives from government agencies in the Asia-Pacific region, international NGOs, convention secretariats and international organisations and independent experts. It serves as a Working Group of the East Asian - Australasian Flyway Partnership and is jointly convened by Wetlands International and FAO.

Conserving and restoring wetlands in the Niger Delta

The Niger Delta in Nigeria is the largest wetland in Africa and the third largest mangrove forest in the world. The region is known for its richness in biodiversity as well as its oil and gas resources. Wetland ecosystems play a critical role in supporting the livelihoods of millions of people in the delta. At the same time they are being degraded by unsustainable practices and a legacy of pollution and oil spills. In the delta we are bringing new perspectives to the fields of biodiversity conversation and sustainable development, putting the conservation and restoration of wetlands at the centre of achieving both livelihood and biodiversity improvements.

While this work happens under our partnership with Shell, we are not directly involved in the cleanup of oil pollution, but include the oil industry as an important stakeholder for our new ways of planning development, and improving the condition of wetlands and water resources to benefit both biodiversity and human well-being.

From the Arctic to Africa: Protecting Waterbirds and Wetlands

Along the migratory flyway between the Northwest Russian Arctic and West Africa, we are protecting wetlands and waterbirds by developingregional long-term wetland conservation and wise-use strategies. Our goal is to bring together people in the countries across the flyway in Africa, the EU and Russia through networking tools for wetland managers and the development of local conservation action and monitoring.

UN Climate Summit in Doha (26 Nov – 7 Dec 2012)

Read up on our work at United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conference held in Doha, the capital city of Qatar. You can download the Side Event presentations, flyers and programmes. 

Migratory Birds for People programme

The Migratory Birds for People programme consists of more than 16 partner wetland visitor centres across Europe and West Africa, forming a network that follows the flight path of many migratory wetland birds species. These centres are working together to share best practice and develop new approaches to delivering waterbird and wetland messages to their visitors. The lead group consists of the Dutch Staatsbosbeheer, Wetland Link International, and Wetlands International. For more information visit the programme website.

Waterbird Population Estimates Database

The Waterbird Population Estimates (WPE) online database provides current and historic estimates, trends and 1% thresholds for over 800 waterbird species and 2300 biogeographic populations worldwide. This project has been developed by Wetlands International with the support of Environment Canada and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Visit the Waterbird Population Estimates Database

Bringing wetland information into decision making of the oil & gas sector

Activities by the oil and gas sector can often threaten wetlands, such as in the Arctic or oil sands of Alberta, Canada. Shell and Wetlands International have developed a software tool called WPIAT (the Wetlands Pre-Impact Assessment Tool), which can help improve the understanding of how development affects wetlands, including its impact on biodiversity and people who depend on wetlands for food and work.