Community Wetlands Forum Overview by Jim Ryan, Wetland Ecologist
The Community Wetlands Forum, represented by Jim Ryan, is a platform promoting community-led wetland conservation in Ireland. With a focus on biodiversity, conservation, and community well-being, the forum aims to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and inclusive participation among stakeholders through regular meetings and initiatives. Members include community groups, stakeholders, and educational institutions working towards sustainable wetland management.
Download Presentation
Please find below an Image/Link to download the presentation.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author. Download presentation by click this link. If you encounter any issues during the download, it is possible that the publisher has removed the file from their server.
E N D
Presentation Transcript
Community Wetlands Forum An Overview Jim Ryan, Wetland Ecologist, CWF representative to IRL Just Transition Conference, Tullamore, 09/06/2022
Communit y A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common Or the condition of sharing or having certain attitudes and interests in common Common Purpose Wetlands Inclusive, amongst others, wet grasslands, peatlands, estuaries, lakes, rivers, deltas, tidal flats and human-made wetlands (Ramsar Convention Secretariat, 2010) Forum A meeting or medium for open exchange of ideas and information, or discussions amongst citizens to reach agreement on matters usually to better the common good
Constitution (2016) To provide a representative platform for community-led wetland conservation groups based on the principles of community development. [Empowerment; Participation; Inclusion, Equality of opportunity and anti-discrimination; self-determination; Partnership] Main objective Subsidiary objectives To promote Wetlands and Peatland areas as important places of biodiversity, conservation, as well as community integration, well-being and ownership; To facilitate the sharing of knowledge, ideas and organisational methods and best practices; To share and introduce the latest research, national and international expertise, similar networks, funding possibilities and approaches in conservation best practises; To grow the network by encouraging and inviting new community groups who are in the process of developing community wetlands or who wish to undertake such developments; To facilitate a regular Community Wetlands Forum where all stakeholders in wetland conservation can participate as equal partners
Members Community-led Groups 35+ All wetland based and spread throughout the country. Potential for cross- Border co-operation/membership Other Stakeholders 15+ Organisations and individuals who are interested in co-operating with CWF to achieve mutually compatible wetland management objectives. They include: State, semi-state and local authority organisations National Parks and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency, Bord na Mona and LAWPRO (Local Authority Waters Program), etc. Non-governmental organisations BirdWatch Ireland, Irish Peatland Conservation Council, Uplands Forum and Irish Ramsar Wetlands Committee, etc Educational Institutions Universities (Dublin, Cork and Galway), Waterford Institute of Technology, etc. Individuals with appropriate expertise
Strategic Plan 2016 Vision A society where wetlands are valued by local communities and community engagement is valued as a means of protecting and managing wetlands for present and future generations. To support the protection, management and wise use of Ireland s wetlands for sustainable communities, by providing a network for community wetland groups to share knowledge, ideas, research and best practice. Mission Values Promoting the wise use of wetlands and appreciation of the ecosystem services they provide Fostering well-being for individuals and communities Adherence to community development principles of empowerment; participation; self-determination; inclusion, equality of opportunity and anti-discrimination; and partnership Conservation and care for the environment in all our activities.
Strategic Plan 10 Key Actions CWF 01: Growing membership of the CWF - Identifying community groups involved in wetland conservation and management. Raising awareness of supports offered by the CWF CWF 06: Ecosystem Services Research - Evaluating and raising awareness of ecosystem services and the socio-economic benefits provided by wetlands and peatlands to communities CWF 07: Conservation & Biodiversity projects - Identifying conservation management measures which can be implemented by local communities & partnering with agencies, NGOs and academia to deliver Citizen Science projects CWF 02: Developing partnerships - Developing a culture of open and inclusive collaboration and knowledge exchange between community groups and other key stakeholders involved in managing and conserving wetlands CWF 08: Education & Interpretation - Identifying the wetland education needs of local communities, and providing a central resource of materials about education and interpretation at wetland sites CWF 03: Community engagement with wetlands Encouraging an integrated approach to supporting communities who wish to become involved in the management and conservation of their local wetland CWF 09: Site Management, Recreation and Amenity Facilitating ecologically sensitive amenity and tourism use of wetlands to support communities and sharing knowledge and best practice guidance with members CWF 04: Communications & awareness-raising Identifying & using Best Practice in developing communications strategies to promote wetlands and their wise use both locally and nationally CWF 05: Capacity building and funding - Developing the knowledge, skills, resources and supports to implement actions and assist communities in conserving and managing their local wetland CWF 10: Monitoring implementation of the plan - Planning to ensure the actions outlined are implemented by responsible partners, and reporting and reviewing on progress
Date Community Wetlands Forum Timeline of Activities CWF established as a network within Irish Rural Link with representation on IRL s committee of management 2015 CWF members agree on a Constitution April 2016 October 2016 Workshop to discuss Mission, Vision, and Values for Strategic Plan Strategic Plan finalised (Funded by EPA grant) January 2017 Launch of Strategic Plan in Abbeyleix with President of Ireland May 2017 June 2018 Development Officer appointed (part-time) supported by NPWS Funding workshop for community groups with representatives from funding bodies January 2019 Guidelines for Communities Managing Local Wetlands and Peatlands Handbook (Funded by EPA grant) February 2020 Training Framework Workshop and Report (Funded by EPA grant) October 2019 October 2020 IRL and CWF funded by Just Transition for a 3-year project titled Connecting Communities to Peatlands Just Transition Development Officer appointed to run Connecting Communities to Peatlands project; CWF hosts Eurosite Climate Buffers Study Tour of 4 Irish sites July-September 2021 Launch of Connecting Communities to Peatlands and Handbook updated October 2021 CWF partner in EU Horizon 5-year Waterlands project, part-time Liason Officer appointed; Full-time CWF Development Officer appointed (Funded by NPWS) June-July 2022
Conclusions The CWF is growing rapidly in both numbers of community groups and in the range and complexity of the projects/partnerships in which it and its members are involved The community groups are very enthusiastic and share their experiences, both positive and negative, readily with each other thus increasing their effectiveness almost exponentially and driving forward the further development of the CWF. It has active partnership links and joint projects with a range of stakeholders at local, national and international levels. There is increasing acceptance of the role it plays in raising awareness of the goods and services that appropriately managed wetlands can provide to local communities However; There is still reluctance on some parts of the public sector to engage with local communities in a practical sense, especially in terms of explaining the range of costs and benefits their proposals may bring to those communities. This can lead to delays and sub-optimal results for them and resentment and negativity on the community side. In our view these problems could be reduced by national policies which would facilitate earlier and more effective public participation in environmental decision making, with the provision of adequate resources to facilitate such participation, At a local level active involvement with local communities to identify their needs and facilitate their achievement would help build trust and respect on both sides
Inspiring communities to enjoy, manage and protect their wetlands for the present and future generations Thank you www.communitywetlandsforum.ie communitywetlandsforum
