Development of a programme for transboundary wetland conservation along the border of the Russian Federation with Belarus and Ukraine

The border area between the Russian Federation, Belarus and Ukraine has internationally important wetland areas that are also vital components of the European ecological network and critical sites along the flyway routes of migratory waterbirds. Although relatively natural by wider European standards, there are increasing impacts from human activity. Border development between these relatively new countries and the new developing economies are driving these changes.

Currently there is little basis for cooperation between the countries to stimulate better wetland management and conservation across the borders. Whilst all countries are contracting parties to the Ramsar Convention on wetlands which requires countries to engage in transboundary wetland management, lack of information and institutional weaknesses are underpinning a lack of action.

This project will establish the basis for cooperation, panning and ultimately conservation and management in this transboundary region. It will approach this through a bottom-up networking approach involving key local stakeholders in and around already identified important wetland areas in the region; here the needs and challenges to transboundary cooperation will be explored through practical activities. It will develop the informational basis for a more comprehensive regional approach to wetland conservation across the border area through the compilation and publication of an analitical review on the resource of transboundary wetlands, their biodiversity values, current protection, management and restoration activities and threats posed to the biodiversity values linked to these wetlands. The results will be drawn into a Programme and Action Plan fro transboundary wetland conservation in the region. The resources needed to support implementation of this programme will be specified and potential sources of funding explored. 

An important focus of the project is on piloting new and promising transboundary initiatives, and on the development and dissemination of best management practices. Two wetland sites with transboundary significance have been selected for the implementation of pilot projects: the Sebezh Lake Complex and the Nerussa-Desna Wetland Area.

Bearing in mind the enormous natural wetland resources of the Russian Federation and that many of these are located in border areas where wetlands have historically contributed to border demarcation, the results of this project will also be widely disseminated to inform and hopefully catalyse similar approaches across the Federation.

 Operational Objectives:

1. Establish information basis for a programme for transboundary wetland conservation.

2. Develop a programme and action plan for transboundary wetland conservation that will set the priorities and requirements for further initiatives related to integrated transborder river and wetland management, econet development and multisectoral cooperation.

3. Test and demonstrate the feasibility of approaches to transboundary wetland conservation through pilot projects which engage local communities and government authorities.

4. Develop the funding environment and basis for priority practical transboundary actions identified in the regional programme.

 Key Outputs:

1. Published overview on the current status of wetlands and the econet along the border of Russia with Belarus and Ukraine.

2. Programme and Action Plan for transboundary wetland conservation along the border of the Russian Federation with Belarus and Ukraine, published and adopted by relevant authorities.

3. Published overview of pilot projects.

4. Portfolio of prioritised, costed project concepts to support the implementation of the Programme.