Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
already heavily affected by intensive human
exploitation.
international consensus emerged for the preser-
vation of wetlands. Negotiations between various
countries and non-governmental agencies in the
1960s culminated with a treaty adopted in the
Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971. This treaty, which
came into force in 1975, dealt with conserving
wetland habitats necessary for migratory water-
birds. The number of contracting parties (coun-
tries) has reached 160, representing all parts of
the world, and nearly 1900 sites have been listed
as wetlands of international importance cover-
ing more than 185 million hectares (Ramsar
2010a).
Wetlands are a high priority also for
many science-based and non-governmental
1.4 Wetland preservation and protection
Recognition of the importance of wetlands
emerged gradually during the twentieth century,
and now wetland conservation is a cause with
considerable public support around the world.
Early efforts focused on wildlife. As long ago
as 1916 the United States and United Kingdom
agreed to what became the Migratory Bird
Treaty Act (1918), which protected birds migrat-
ing between the U.S. and Canada (Fig. 1-16).
Specii cally this act made it illegal for people
to take migratory birds, their eggs, feathers or
nests (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2010a).
Similar bilateral treaties were established by the
United States with Mexico (1936), Japan (1972)
and the Soviet Union (1976).
Another early and quite successful program
was the U.S. Migratory Bird Hunting and Con-
servation Stamp, commonly known as “duck
stamps,” which began in the 1930s as a means
to raise money for preservation of duck and
goose habitat (Fig. 1-17). As of 2008, sales of
duck stamps had generated US$700 million,
which was used to purchase more than two
million hectares (
5 million acres) of wetland
habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge system.
As wildlife protection efforts in North
America spread to other parts of the world, an
>
Figure 1-17.
U.S. Migratory Bird Hunting and
Conservation Stamp. Above: First U.S. “duck stamp”
issued in 1934. The original stamp was l at-plate
printed in blue monotone and depicted two mallards.
For valid use, the stamp had to be signed; original
signature can be seen faintly across the top of this
example. Below: U.S. postage stamp issued to
recognize the 50th anniversary of the duck stamp
program, in the same blue monotone. From the
collection of J. Vancura.
Figure 1-16.
U.S. postage stamp marking the 50th
anniversary of the convention on U.S.-Canada
migratory birds. Original stamp printed in red, blue
and black. From the collection of J. Vancura.
