ABSTRACT
The increasing demand for freshwater, as well as uncertainties associated with climate change, has placed growing pressure on wetland and natural resource managers to develop sustainable approaches that extend across landscapes and ensure the many benefits we obtain from freshwater wetlands are not further reduced. The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance arose from concerns of government and non-government organisations to conserve diminishing wetlands. It was agreed in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and was among the first of a set of environmental treaties that were negotiated over several decades in the 20th Century. Management of freshwater ecosystems in protected areas across landscapes is strongly connected with management processes elsewhere within the catchment, such as when dealing with water flows, and also beyond, such as when dealing with migratory species that transcend catchment boundaries. A management plan should suit the local requirements and only be as large or complex as the site requires.
