The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, EAD, has shared its best practices and efforts in wetland conservation during its participation in the 13th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP13) by sponsoring, organising and participating in a number of side events that focus on the key achievements made by the Agency to preserve Abu Dhabi’s wetlands and biodiversity.
Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Executive Director of the Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector at EAD, said, "As a Silver sponsor of the conference, it is a great opportunity for us to discuss, with the delegates, the challenges we all face in a changing world where environmental degradation continues. It also gives us a platform to share experiences on how we can reverse the loss of wetlands and emphasise wetlands’ vital contribution to world’s sustainable development."
"Being in an arid region, we truly appreciate the value of wetlands and water resources. They not only add to the variety of habitats and biodiversity but are also important for their aesthetic values, in a largely desert landscape," she added.
"The wetlands in Abu Dhabi are important for biodiversity conservation. Al Wathba Wetland Reserve is the only site in the Arabian Gulf where flamingos breed regularly. This is possible due to effective management and monitoring of the wetlands. The declaration of Abu Dhabi’s two Ramsar sites, Al Wathba Wetland Reserve and Bul Syayeef, as protected areas, highlights the premium we place on the protection of wetland ecosystems in the country," Dr. Shaikha noted.
"On one hand, wetlands are impacted by climate change and on the other hand they are part of the climate change solution. The blue carbon ecosystems of Abu Dhabi, the mangroves, the salt marshes, the algal mats and coral reef provide immense benefits by storing and sequestering carbon," Dr. Shaikha said.
During the conference, EAD organised a side event in which the main outputs of its Terrestrial and Marine Habitat Mapping project to determine the land use and land cover of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi were presented. The project was one of the most ambitious and detailed delineations of habitats ever undertaken, a world’s first in both magnitude and detail. Use of satellite telemetry work in tracking important migratory species such as flamingos and turtles was also highlighted by EAD and how the work has helped identify areas important for the species and subsequently protecting such sites. Work on the ongoing research initiative, spearheaded by Emirates Nature-WWF in collaboration with EAD, to advance knowledge on turtles’ behaviour at sea and identify areas for protection in the UAE and the wider region, was also presented at the side event.
Tomorrow, EAD will organise another side event that focuses on how and when to apply different research tools, such as the Dugong and Seagrass Research Toolkit which was developed in partnership between EAD, TOTAL, the CMS Dugong MOU Secretariat and the Dugong and Seagrass Conservation Project. The toolkit has been developed by a team of technical experts and aims to help people assess and understand the interactions between dugongs, seagrasses and human communities, methods for the conservation of seagrass ecosystems and the animals upon which they depend such as dugongs.
On Saturday, delegates are scheduled to visit the Al Wathba Wetland Reserve to learn about this unique reserve, which is the first wetland reserve in UAE. The reserve supports a rich array of wildlife and many globally and locally threatened wetland species. In total, the site is home to over 250 migratory and resident birds, 11 mammals, 10 reptiles and over 35 plant species, and is therefore an important area for the conservation of biodiversity in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Dr. Shaikha Al Dhaheri will also participate on Sunday, at a side event that is being organised by Emirates Nature-WWF. Dr. Shaikha will highlight the importance of the Terrestrial and Marine Habitat Mapping project and how it supports the UAE government’s efforts to fulfill its commitment to the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) to ensure a minimum of 17% of terrestrial habitats and 10% of marine habitats are protected and conserved by 2020.