ABSTRACT
In arid zones, where water is generally in short supply for man and wildlife alike, wetlands assume an even greater importance. The ever-increasing demand for water for industry and agriculture, coupled with the sensitivity of the wetlands to the irregular hydrographic conditions characteristic of arid and semiarid zones, renders them particularly vulnerable and ever more prey to man’s diverse schemes, which are so often implemented without thought to their environmental consequences. Wetlands and adjacent lands are often very fine agricultural land, and thus they become prey to drainage and reclamation. The directory has been designed specifically to monitor the conservation status of wetlands of international importance, to provide up-to-date reference works listing these wetlands, and to assist in the task of protecting as many as possible. At both the Ramsar and Heiligenhafen conferences, considerable attention was given to the formulation and standardization of criteria for the classification of wetlands and qualification in terms of international importance.
