THE TRONDHEIM DECLARATION

An International Statement on the Global Conservation of Mires and Peatlands

Preamble

Mires and peatlands are among the World's most endangered ecosystems. These peat-forming environments are found throughout the World, occurring in subarctic and boreal regions of North America, northern Europe and Siberia, in the tropical rain forest regions of, for example, Costa Rica, Zaire and Indonesia, and dominating the lowlands of Tierra del Fuego on the southern-most edge of South America. In some nations, as much as 90% or more of these important areas have been destroyed or significantly degraded resulting in a serious loss of the rich biodiversity and natural resources they provide. On a global scale, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) has recently estimated that 50% of these ecosystems have vanished from the face of the Earth. Destruction of mires and peatlands continues at an increasing and alarming rate in all regions.

Wetlands cover about 5% of the terrestrial and freshwater surface of the World. Of this wetland area, up to 60% is dominated by environments favouring peat-forming processes. Where these processes have not been completely destroyed, these ecosystems are commonly referred to as "mires", although they are also known by many other names around the World. Mires provide many of the critical functions of the World's wetland systems. These functions include provision of rich biodiversity and habitats; major contributions to the maintenance of water quantity and quality; ensuring provision of food, fibre and livelihood to peoples around the World who are dependent on natural resource-use; forming a major component in carbon cycling and long-term storage - perhaps even more important than the tropical rainforests in this respect; as well as providing an archive and record of cultural, climatic and environmental change.

However, to date, the activities of the World Community with regard to wetland conservation have been focussed on non-peatland habitats with little direct attention given to mire systems. Global and national Mire Conservation Action Plans are urgently needed to promote conservation of mire ecosystems through nature protection, sustainable wise use, and management practices.

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance is one of the international instruments available to promote mire conservation. Since 1971, over 80 nations have become Contracting Parties to this convention. The Wise Use Principles of the Convention call on its Contracting Parties to develop comprehensive wetland conservation policies and programmes for the full range of types and functions that wetlands provide. While few nations have nominated Ramsar sites exclusively because they are mires, many of the wetlands of international importance are in fact wholly, or in part, mire ecosystems. Hence, designation of mires as Ramsar sites is both consistent with, and should be considered a commitment of, the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention.

In addition, a wide range of mire conservation opportunities have evolved through the implementation of other international conventions, treaties and regulations. The Biodiversity Convention in particular is emerging as the most prominent tool for implementation of sustainable development and the conservation of regional diversity.

For the last decade, an international network of mire and wetland scientists has been evaluating the ecological values, characteristics and status of mires throughout the World. At the July 1994 Sixth International Conference on Mire Conservation held in Norway, the following declaration was developed for consideration by national governments and concerned organizations or agencies having an international focus. The participants in this Conference, drawn from 23 countries, are prominent representatives of national wetland, mire and/or nature management programmes, as well as universities and research institutions.

Declaration

The following declaration, hereafter to be referred to as "The Trondheim Declaration", was adopted by the parties to the Sixth International Conference on Mire Conservation hosted by the Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management, the University of Trondheim, and the International Mire Conservation Group (IMCG) at Trondheim, Norway from July 4-15, 1994.

Representing the global mire-wetland conservation, science and habitat management community, the parties to this international conference:

RECOGNIZING the serious degree of risk to global mire resources and their integrity;

AWARE OF the major commitments made by the World's nations (particularly Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention and the Biodiversity Convention) to creation and effective implementation of conservation policies and programmes for all ecosystems including mires;

AWARE OF the significant potential for mire conservation initiatives through programmes under the International Biodiversity Convention; the Ramsar Convention; the Global Convention on Climate Change; the Bonn Convention; the Berne Convention; the European Union's Birds Directive and Habitats and Species Directive; the IUCN Wetland Programme; the International Peat Society Commission on Land Use Planning and Environment; the wetland initiatives of the World Wide Fund for Nature; the Agreement on Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna; the UNESCO Biosphere Reserves Programme; and the joint actions of the International Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau, Wetlands for the Americas, and Asian Wetland Bureau; and

CONCERNED FOR the future of wetland and mire programmes in the nations of Europe with economies in transition, in Tropical Regions, in Asia, in North America, and in the Southern Hemisphere; and

WELCOMING the leadership towards global conservation of biodiversity particularly in mire ecosystems as displayed by the Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management, the University of Trondheim, and the International Mire Conservation Group in supporting the Sixth International Conference on Mire Conservation;

RECOMMEND THAT:

1. An international coordination office and function should be established to facilitate global mire conservation, to be housed with a major international wetland agency based in Europe. This should be funded and undertaken in cooperation with partner agencies and organizations and Contracting Parties to the Ramsar and Biodiversity conventions that have significant mire systems.
2. A series of informative publications should be produced for international distribution on the status of inventory, protection, and management of mires throughout the World. Such regional reports might include: Europe, particularly for countries with economies in transition, as well as tropical regions, Asia, North America, and the Southern Hemisphere.
3. Partner agencies and organizations should proceed with development of global and national Mire Conservation Action Plans. A particular focus area should be European countries with economies in transition. Implementation of the components of these Action Plans should be funded by nations and economic sectors that have historically benefited from mire resource-use. The overall objectives of such Action Plans should include:

• promoting the conservation and sustainability of mire functions and values through the implementation of global biodiversity objectives; and
• facilitating mire conservation commitments made by the nations of the World through their implementation of international and multilateral conventions, treaties and regulations.

4. Ramsar Contracting Parties should ensure that international mire conservation is a focus issue for discussion at, and the resolutions prepared for, the 1996 Sixth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar Convention as well as forthcoming meetings of the Contracting Parties to the Biodiversity Convention.
5. Other international conventions, agreements and regulations be used effectively to support international mire conservation and management wherever opportunities arise.
6. Further strengthening of effective international cooperation and information exchange between those involved in mire conservation and resource-use issues should be actively supported.
7. A key aspect of the conservation of the biodiversity of the World's mires is proer and thorough understanding of their ecology. Universities and governments world-wide should establish centres of excellence and ensure significant expansion of training experience for development of future generations of experts in all aspects of mire ecology and science.
8. The International Mire Conservation Group (IMCG) should be recognized as an appropriate expert group and international lead organization for the provision of scientific and management advice on the World's mire ecosystems. The IMCG further should work actively to promote and support international and national implementation of mire conservation programmes.

Signed by the participants at the Sixth International Conference on Mire Conservation, July 15, 1994 Trondheim, Norway