NSW Ramsar Managers Network - Landholders and Government working together
Conservation around the world is increasingly taken up by community representatives. The NSW Ramsar Managers Network (RMN) is a group of private landholders and Government representatives involved in the management of Ramsar wetlands in NSW. Ramsar wetlands are listed as internationally important by signatory Governments under the Ramsar Convention. The RMN was established by the Minister for the Environment in September 2003 to address increasing concerns from private Ramsar managers that their commitment to conservation was not being adequately recognised by Government. Private landholders were concerned that the importance of Ramsar wetlands was not being recognised by Government or the community, particularly with access to environmental flows and funding for on ground management. In the last two years RMN has raised the profile of Ramsar wetlands in NSW, attempting to acquire adequate water to maintain ecological character and highlighting the challenges facing private Ramsar managers. Activities have included: ecological character descriptions, state communications program (e.g. Ramsar brochures, videos, television advertisements, school presentations), liaison with relevant Ministers to raise the profile of challenges facing private Ramsar managers, meeting every six months with relevant stakeholders, field trip including private Ramsar managers from across Australia and attendance at key events. The RMN is an example of private landholders and Government working together, sometimes successfully and sometimes not, to achieve conservation outcomes and assist Ramsar achieve its potential on private land. Responses to lessons learnt and challenges for the network will be discussed.