The benefits of wetlands to people and the environment are often overlooked. Photo Credit: Lisa Hupp/USFWS via Flickr
The Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) Working Group of the Arctic Council (www.caff.is) is working to toward better engagement at several levels (e.g. technical, policy) on the roles and functions of Arctic wetlands as a resource to support sustainable development and resilience in the circumpolar Arctic.
This publication reports on the first phase of the project, which examined wetlands inventories across the Arctic. Inventories provide important information for management and policy-making and serve as a baseline for future policies. Phase one also reviewed scientific research on Arctic wetlands to understand their importance for biodiversity and hydrology, and to understand how climate change will affect wetlands and their capacity for carbon storage.
The study includes a preliminary mapping of ways in which wetlands are central to indigenous livelihoods. Incorporating local and indigenous knowledge is essential in the management of wetlands. Knowledge gaps and needs were also identified.
