Managing wetlands is an interdisciplinary endeavour. It requires an understanding of how wetlands evolve and function, how human societies interact with and benefit from them, and how wetlands management relates to broader development plans and programmes. 

South Asia faces a capacity gap in managing wetlands in an integrated manner, one that accounts for the worldviews and values of diverse stakeholder groups, interdependencies across sectors, and planning at multiple scales. In most cases, terrestrial management planning processes, such as protected-area guidelines, are applied to wetlands. These fail to address basin- and coastal-zone-scale interactions, or the central role communities play in sustaining these ecosystems.

Wetlands International South Asia promotes a diagnostic approach to wetlands management: a systematic evaluation of a wetland’s features and governing factors to assess risks of adverse change, and the capacity of institutions to address them. We champion landscape-scale management interventions to ensure biodiversity and ecosystem service values are maintained now and into the future. We nurture institutions capable of integrated, adaptive management, and continually work to bring technology, tools, and innovative practice into how management is implemented. A core part of the work also includes developing the capacity of wetland professionals and practitioners through targeted training modules and programmes.

Our Impact

• Developed the National Wetlands Trend Index for India
• Supported MoEFCC in developing the guidelines for implementing the National Wetlands Framework
• Developed guidelines on Integrated Management Planning of wetlands
• Developed guidebook on management of Himalayan wetlands
• Co-developed tool for management effectiveness evaluation of Indian wetlands
• Developed an implementation framework for wetland-wise use in the Indian context
• Co-designed standard operating procedures for Mission Sahbhagita, a blueprint for participatory wetlands management
• Developed a national wetlands health card system with MoEFCC and knowledge partners

• Developed IMPs for 25 Ramsar Sites, enabling the systematic application of human and financial resources for conservation and wise use

• Supported the designation of Ramsar Sites and accreditation of Indore as wetland city
• Co-drafted the resolution on Sustainable Lifestyles for Wise Use of Wetlands, adopted by the Ramsar Convention
• Trained over 10,000 professionals, including wetland managers, wetland mitra, and students, in integrated wetland management
• Showcased 25 positive conservation stories through the Wetland Champions Initiative with Mongabay
• Promoted wise use as the central premise of wetlands conservation