Rice Paddies and the Ramsar...

Rice Paddies and theRamsar Convention

RRC - EA - 2010 - 04

Ramsar COP10 Resolution X.31

Namhae Darangi terraced rice paddies

Ramsar Regional CenterEast Asia

Changwon, Republic of Korea

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The Ramsar Regional Center – East Asia, Changwon, Republic of Korea

The Ramsar Convention and its Role

The Convention on Wetlands (created and agreed to in Ramsar, Iran, 1971) is called the "Ramsar Convention". It is an intergovernmental treaty, which represents the commitments of the signatory nations to maintain the ecological character of their Wetlands of International Importance and to plan for the "wise use", or sustainable use, of all of the wetlands within their territory.

Mission

The Convention’s mission is “the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local, regional and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world”.

Wetland Targets

The Convention uses a broad definition of the types of wetlands covered in its mission, including swamps and marshes, lakes and rivers, wet grasslands and peatlands, oases, estuaries, deltas and tidal flats, near-shore marine areas, mangroves and coral reefs, and human-made sites such as fish ponds, rice paddies, reservoirs, and salt pans.

CONVENTION ON WETLANDS(Ramsar, Iran, 1971)

Rice Paddies and the Ramsar

Convention

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The Ramsar Convention and its Role

The Convention on Wetlands (created and agreed to in Ramsar, Iran, 1971) is called the "Ramsar Convention". It is an intergovernmental treaty, which represents the commitments of the signatory nations to maintain the ecological character of their Wetlands of International Importance and to plan for the "wise use", or sustainable use, of all of the wetlands within their territory.

Mission

The Convention’s mission is “the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local, regional and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world”.

Wetland Targets

The Convention uses a broad definition of the types of wetlands covered in its mission, including swamps and marshes, lakes and rivers, wet grasslands and peatlands, oases, estuaries, deltas and tidal flats, near-shore marine areas, mangroves and coral reefs, and human-made sites such as fish ponds, rice paddies, reservoirs, and salt pans.

CONVENTION ON WETLANDS(Ramsar, Iran, 1971)

Convention

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Convention

The Ramsar Regional Center – East Asia, Changwon, Republic of Korea The Ramsar Regional Center – East Asia, Changwon, Republic of Korea

Ramsar Regional Center – East Asia and its Role

Mission

RRC-EA contributes to the conservation and wise use of wetlands in the Eastern Hemisphere, sources of life for human populations and biodiversity, through the strengthening of capacities based on the technical implementation of the Ramsar Convention.

Vision

The loss of wetlands continues in the Eastern Hemisphere. Wetlands are conserved and rehabilitated through integral management practices that guarantee wise use and enjoyment based on the Ramsar Convention's guidelines.

Objectives

• Promotes research on the wise use of wetlands in Eastern and Southeastern Asia.

• Works to increase knowledge of wetlands.

• Prepares available human resources for the management and conservation of wetlands

• Implements the objectives of the Scientific - technical plan of the Ramsar Convention for the wise use and conservation of wetlands in Eastern/Southeastern Asia

Rice Paddy Defined

• What is a rice paddy ? Rice paddies are where rice is grown. They are flooded fields.

• Rice is grown in 114 countries world wide

• Rice paddies provide food and a source of habitat for living organism• Rice paddies support biodiversity which aids in the healthy growth of the crop• Rice paddies have to remain connected to natural habitat to maintain their diversity

Fields are a typical feature of rice producing countries in east and southeast Asian nations. While they are found there, they are also present in Italy, France, the Caribbean, and North America.

Fields are often used to produce more than one crop through organic farming practices

Rice is one of the oldest farmed crops in the world, and comprises approximately 80% of Asian calorie intake.

Convention

Ramsar Regional Center – East Asia and its Role

Mission

RRC-EA contributes to the conservation and wise use of wetlands in the Eastern Hemisphere, sources of life for human populations and biodiversity, through the strengthening of capacities based on the technical implementation of the Ramsar Convention.

Vision

The loss of wetlands continues in the Eastern Hemisphere. Wetlands are conserved and rehabilitated through integral management practices that guarantee wise use and enjoyment based on the Ramsar Convention's guidelines.

Objectives

• Promotes research on the wise use of wetlands in Eastern and Southeastern Asia.

• Works to increase knowledge of wetlands.

• Prepares available human resources for the management and conservation of wetlands

• Implements the objectives of the Scientific - technical plan of the Ramsar Convention for the wise use and conservation of wetlands in Eastern/Southeastern Asia

Rice Paddy Defined

• What is a rice paddy ? Rice paddies are where rice is grown. They are flooded fields.

• Rice is grown in 114 countries world wide

• Rice paddies provide food and a source of habitat for living organism• Rice paddies support biodiversity which aids in the healthy growth of the crop• Rice paddies have to remain connected to natural habitat to maintain their diversity

Fields are a typical feature of rice producing countries in east and southeast Asian nations. While they are found there, they are also present in Italy, France, the Caribbean, and North America.

Fields are often used to produce more than one crop through organic farming practices

Rice is one of the oldest farmed crops in the world, and comprises approximately 80% of Asian calorie intake.

Convention

Importance

• Why are they valuable ?

Production : Rice paddies produce the largest amount of consumable food on the planet – over 500 million tones/year.

Biodiversity : Rice paddies also have inherent importance in the level of biodiversity that they support.

Habitat : Rice paddy habitat is variable, alternating between wet and dry. Rice paddies when wet support aquatic organisms and when dry they support terrestrial organisms

Chai nat Thailand Izumi Japan Junam Reservoir Korea

Biodiversity of Rice Paddies

A rice paddy contains

Amphibians – animals that live on land but breed in the water – i.e. frogs, salamanders, newts, toads

Insects – may be aquatic or terrestrial – are air breathing organisms with 6 legs and a segmented body (mosquitoes, gnats, diving beetles, water scorpions, etc.)

Fish – aquatic animals that use gills to breathe, and has jaws and fins, scales, and a slender body – i.e. carp, loach, lungfish, mudskippers

Convention

Importance

• Why are they valuable ?

Production : Rice paddies produce the largest amount of consumable food on the planet – over 500 million tones/year.

Biodiversity : Rice paddies also have inherent importance in the level of biodiversity that they support.

Habitat : Rice paddy habitat is variable, alternating between wet and dry. Rice paddies when wet support aquatic organisms and when dry they support terrestrial organisms

Chai nat Thailand Izumi Japan Junam Reservoir Korea

Biodiversity of Rice Paddies

A rice paddy contains

Amphibians – animals that live on land but breed in the water – i.e. frogs, salamanders, newts, toads

Insects – may be aquatic or terrestrial – are air breathing organisms with 6 legs and a segmented body (mosquitoes, gnats, diving beetles, water scorpions, etc.)

Fish – aquatic animals that use gills to breathe, and has jaws and fins, scales, and a slender body – i.e. carp, loach, lungfish, mudskippers

Convention

Mammals – warm blooded animal that typically is terrestrial in origin but can use the wetland – i.e. nutria, rats, mice, dear, etc

Birds – a two legged winged animal that has wings, typically uses the wetland as a staging, or feeding ground during migration – i.e. Geese, ducks, cranes, swallows, etc.

Aquatic crustaceans – aquatic invertebrates that are found in wetlands – i.e. snails, clams, worms etc.

Plankton – microscopic animals and plants that are found in the water of wetlands – they are a functional food source for other larger organisms. i.e. phytoplankton, zooplankton

Implementation (1)

What is being done to protect Rice paddies

Currently there are several avenues being pursued that have as their goals the conservation of rice paddy wetlands.

Rice Paddy Initiative

Designed to provide rice paddies with functional protection according to the ramsar convention

Still in the initial stages principally observing secondary characteristics – biodiversity

Plans for rice paddy resolution

In the next COP there is the possibility of a resolution aimed at increasing the protection of Rice Paddies

Workshops defining the role of rice paddies

Rice paddy workshops

International workshop on rice paddy and wetland conservation best practices in Asia – Japan

INWEPF 3rd Steering meeting and Workshop Rice paddy: Now, Tomorrow and the Future

UN Convention on Biological Diversity's (CBD) Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA)

Asian Wetland Symposium (China and Malaysia) meetings STRP Rice paddy workshop - International Rice Research Institute

Rice paddy workshop in Japan 2010 organized by Japanese Ministry of the Environment

Convention

Mammals – warm blooded animal that typically is terrestrial in origin but can use the wetland – i.e. nutria, rats, mice, dear, etc

Birds – a two legged winged animal that has wings, typically uses the wetland as a staging, or feeding ground during migration – i.e. Geese, ducks, cranes, swallows, etc.

Aquatic crustaceans – aquatic invertebrates that are found in wetlands – i.e. snails, clams, worms etc.

Plankton – microscopic animals and plants that are found in the water of wetlands – they are a functional food source for other larger organisms. i.e. phytoplankton, zooplankton

Implementation (1)

What is being done to protect Rice paddies

Currently there are several avenues being pursued that have as their goals the conservation of rice paddy wetlands.

Rice Paddy Initiative

Designed to provide rice paddies with functional protection according to the ramsar convention

Still in the initial stages principally observing secondary characteristics – biodiversity

Plans for rice paddy resolution

In the next COP there is the possibility of a resolution aimed at increasing the protection of Rice Paddies

Workshops defining the role of rice paddies

Rice paddy workshops

International workshop on rice paddy and wetland conservation best practices in Asia – Japan

INWEPF 3rd Steering meeting and Workshop Rice paddy: Now, Tomorrow and the Future

UN Convention on Biological Diversity's (CBD) Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA)

Asian Wetland Symposium (China and Malaysia) meetings STRP Rice paddy workshop - International Rice Research Institute

Rice paddy workshop in Japan 2010 organized by Japanese Ministry of the Environment

Convention

Implementation (2)

Production

Biodiversity conservation

RAMSAR COP10 Meeting in Changwon, South Korea 2008 – focused on the health and well being of wetlands and people – especially on the interaction of the two and how they work together to promote healthy lifestyles

Implementing Agencies

Who is doing it ?

1. STRP – Ramsar Scientific and Technical Review Panel is working on providing the guidelines to enforce protection of rice paddies as wetlands and sources of biodiversity.

2. IRRI – International Rice Research Institute – will host rice paddy biodiversity workshops

3. RRC-EA – Ramsar Regional Center – East Asia – will organize workshops

4. RCJ – Ramsar Center Japan – will organize workshops and help produce a book

5. WI-Japan – Wetlands International-Japan - will organize workshops

Convention

Implementation (2)

Production

Biodiversity conservation

RAMSAR COP10 Meeting in Changwon, South Korea 2008 – focused on the health and well being of wetlands and people – especially on the interaction of the two and how they work together to promote healthy lifestyles

Implementing Agencies

Who is doing it ?

1. STRP – Ramsar Scientific and Technical Review Panel is working on providing the guidelines to enforce protection of rice paddies as wetlands and sources of biodiversity.

2. IRRI – International Rice Research Institute – will host rice paddy biodiversity workshops

3. RRC-EA – Ramsar Regional Center – East Asia – will organize workshops

4. RCJ – Ramsar Center Japan – will organize workshops and help produce a book

5. WI-Japan – Wetlands International-Japan - will organize workshops

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aAcknowledgements: Photos Kim, Ji Yoon ; Design Kim, Hang Ah

Pamphlet was produced through support from Korea Tourism Bureau and Ministry of Environment, Republic of Korea

Ramsar Regional Center - East Asia

#308 Yongho-Dong 5-1, Uichang-Gu, Changwon, Gyeongsangnamdo641-840, S. Korea

Tel. +82-55-283-1080Fax. +82-55-283-1085E-mail. [email protected]. www.rrc-ea.org

"RRC - EA is operated with support of Gyeongsangnamdo and Ministry of Environment, Republic of Korea"

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