Implementation of international conventions for peatlands in Russia

Grant Agreement nr. WGP1 08 GPI 11

Agreement holder: Wetlands International - Russia

Country/region: Russia/Europe & Asia

Activity period: 01/09/2001 – 30/06/2002

Objectives and results:

Main Project Objective:
Conservation and wise use of peatlands in the Russian Federation as a part for the maintenance of the world's peatlands biodiversity, their global values and regulation functions.

• To support the achievement of national obligations in regard of the Ramsar convention and provide support to a wide range of Russian society, by:
  1. Expert assistance to the Russian Government to review official Ramsar documents regarding peatlands;
  2. Development of a public awareness campaign on peatlands conservation and wise use.
• Development and implementation of a National Policy concerning Peatlands, including a National Action Plan for Peatlands Conservation and Wise Use, and harmonisation of relevant legislation.
• Development and implementation of regional policies concerning peatlands through the development of a portfolio of complementary project proposals for implementing ecological friendly ecosystem management and land use planning at the regional and local levels.

Achieved:

• An official review of COP 8 resolutions on peatlands, including the Guidelines for Global Action on Peatlands (GAP), was submitted to the Ramsar Standing Committee by the Russian Government. These COP8 documents have also been translated to Russian and submitted for legalisation. (available on www.peatlands.ru.)
• A public awareness plan for peatlands was developed for implementation under the RU-WI cooperative programme.
• Production of a draft report on perceptions regarding peatlands in Russia. A methodology on sociological studies in peatlands was developed.
• A leaflet was produced on Peatlands in Russia (English).
• A Web-page “www.peatlands.ru” has been developed
• A National Action Plan on Wise use of Peatlands (incl. project portfolio) was produced (English/Russian) and has been officially endorsed by the Ministry of Natural Resources. (Russian version on www.peatlands.ru).
• A new Federal Law “On Wetlands Conservation and Use” was developed within the official framework of a Parliament activity. It has been submitted to the Duma. (Available on www.peatlands.ru).
• A Meta-database was developed on Russian peatlands, and provided to the Ministry of Nature Resources (www.peatlands.ru.)
• Project proposals were developed (in English) for model management projects in 5 internationally important peatland sites. A project portfolio has been established, with 68 project ideas and 22 concepts from all over Russia (focused on the priorities of National Action Plan for Peatlands).

This very ambitious project achieved most of its objectives, while working under very difficult circumstances (e.g. great shifts in policies, reshuffling of Ministries in Russia, etc). Some of the results obtained even exceed those planned. The development of the National Action Plan on Peatlands and endorsement of it by the Ministry of Natural Resources is a major achievement. Some final results are pending decisions made by the Russian authorities on some of the submitted legislative and policy products. The additional project portfolio was developed as a tool for prioritisation and for fundraising for implementation of the adopted National Action Plan on Peatlands.