Establishing a network of educational wetland centres in European Russia

Wetlands, in particular peatlands, being a characteristic feature of Russian landscapes, provide real and essential benefits to a wide range of interest groups. However, it is evident that the high biodiversity and socio-economic values of wetlands have not been adequately communicated to decision-makers, users and the public at large.

Restoring peatlands in Russia

Many peatlands in Russia were drained for agriculture, forestry and peat mining in the past and then left abandoned. Now they are subject to wind and water erosion, major fires and cause large amounts of carbon dioxide emissions. Given the significant economic, environmental and social impacts of these degraded peatlands, Wetlands International has recently initiated the restoration project of Russia's degraded peatlands.

The Critical Site Network Tool

The Critical Site Network (CSN) Tool is an award winning online resource that provides information on 294 waterbird species and the important wetlands upon which they depend in Africa and Western Eurasia. This tool provides users with direct access to both International Waterbird Census and Important Bird Area counts, as well as a range of analytical and explorative tools.  

Wetland Centre at the Sebezhsky National Park

The project was aimed to increase awareness (locally and regionally) of the ecological and socio-economic functions and values of wetlands, their conservation needs and sustainable management options, through the establishment of a wetland center at the Sebezhsky National Park and the creation and publication of educational and awareness materials.

Western Paleartic and West-Asian Waterbird Census

The Western Paleartic and West Asian Waterbird Cencus is the waterbird monitoring programme for Europe, West Asia and North Africa. A total of 20 to 25 million waterbirds are counted each season by thousands of volunteers, working through national organisations. Wetlands International produces International overview reports. See the publication section for this.

New FluBird Project (NFB)

Wetlands International is the co-coordinator  to this project with Erasmus University and 10 other partners throughout Europe. The NFB project aims at setting a Network for Early Warning of Influenza viruses in migratory birds in Europe. Our role is to provide data and expertise on high risk bird species, coordinate surveillance in high risk sites and build capacity for monitoring waterbirds.

Разработка программы сохранения трансграничных водно-болотных угодий, расположенных по границе Российской Федерации с Белоруссией и Украиной

Цель проекта - содействие сохранению и устойчивому использованию ценных водно-болотных угодий, находящихся на границе Российской Федерации с Белоруссией и Украиной

Promotion of wetland biodiversity conservation in the Moscow region of the Russian Federation through the development of a Regional Strategy and Action Plan for Wetlands Wise Use

The objective is to support the sustainable use of water resources in the Moscow Region by establishing the technical, legal and social conditions for the implementation of an integrated approach to land-use planning based on wetland wise use.

Central Asian Flyway interim coordination

Wetlands International has been the driving force behind the development of the 'Central Asian Flyway initiative', carried out in cooperation with 30 states in Central Asia. The initiative is pushing for better protection of migratory waterbirds and the wetlands they depend on. Now after some years we achieved improved inter-governmental cooperation on the protection of waterbirds and their key habitats.

Wetlands International provides the interim coordinator and secretariate for this flyway.

Study on mires in the Baltic ecoregion

The aim of this project was to provide background information for conserving biodiversity and freshwater quality in the Baltic ecoregion.