Ramsar Rolling Review

 WEC is project manager for the Ramsar Rolling Review which aims to provide targeted information, based on Ecological Character Descriptions, to assess the ecological character of Australia's 64 Ramsar wetlands. The project will:

• Allow investments to be targeted to imminent threats
• Provide benchmark and ongoing data to support monitoring and evaluation
• Help fulfill Australia's Ramsar obligations
• Support effective implementation of the EPBC Act

The project team includes Dr Shane Brooks, Peter Cottingham, Jennifer Hale, Warren Lee Long (Wetlands International Oceania) and Doug Watkins (Wetlands International Oceania). The project is funded by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Canberra. The first phase of the project pilot tested the approach at 20 sites and was completed in May 2010. A second phase of pilot testing commenced in June 2010 for the remaining 44 sites with completion due May 2011.

 Butcher, R., Brooks, S., Cottingham, P., Hale, J., Lee Long, W., and Watkins, D. (2010). Ramsar Rolling Review: Development and pilot testing the Site Status Form and threat conceptual models for Australia’s Ramsar sites. Submitted to the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. May 2010.

Ecological Character Descriptions

 Ecological Character Description for Coongie Lakes, South Australia. Current project for the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Canberra.

 Ecological Character Description for Narran Lake Nature Reserve, NSW. Current project for the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Canberra.

 Ecological Character Description for Western District Lakes, VIC. Current project for the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Canberra.

 Ecological Character Description for Apsley Marshes, TAS. Current project for the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Canberra.

 Ecological Character Description for The Dales, Christmas Island. Butcher, R. and Hale, J. 2010. Report to the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Canberra.

 Ecological Character Description for Hosnies Spring, Christmas Island. Hale, J. and Butcher, R.  2010. Report to the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Canberra.

 Ecological Character Description for the Banrock Station Wetland Complex, South Australia. Butcher, R., Hale, J., Muller, K., and Kobryn, H. 2009. Report to the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Canberra.

  Ecological Character Description for the Eighty-mile Beach Ramsar Site, Western Australia. Hale, J. and Butcher, R. 2009. Report to the Department of the Environment and Conservation, Western Australia.

 Ecological Character Description for Piccaninnie Ponds Karst Wetlands. Butcher, R., Hale, J., and Cottingham, P. 2008. Draft report to the Department of the Environment Heritage, Mt Gambia South Australia.

 Ecological Character of the Peel Yalgorup Wetland of International Importance. Hale, J., and Butcher, R. 2007. Department of Conservation and Land Management, Western Australia. 

Ecological Character of the Coorong, Lakes Alexandrina and Albert Wetland of International Importance. Phillips, B., and Muller, K. Technical advice provided by Rhonda Butcher and Jennifer Hale. 2006. Report prepared for the South Australian Department of Environment and Heritage.

 Ecological Character of the Lake MacLeod wetland of international importance. Phillips, B., Butcher, R., Hale, J., and Coote, M. 2005. Department of Conservation and Land Management, Western Australia.

Ramsar Management Plans

 Ramsar Management Plan for Piccaninnie Ponds Karst Wetlands. Butcher, R., Cottingham, P., and Hale, J. 2008. Draft report to Department of Environment Heritage, Mt Gambia South Australia.

Implementing the Ramsar Convention’s “Strategic framework for the future development of the List of Wetlands of International Importance” in Australia. Phillips, B., Butcher, R.J., and Hale, J. 2005.
Pilot testing an approach in the Wimmera Catchment Management Area of Western Victoria. Report to WWF.