Tatiana Lobato de Magalhães is a research professor at the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, an adjunct professor at North Dakota State University, and a visiting researcher at the University of ...
GROUPE DE COMMISSION DE L'UICN
IUCN CEM Wetland Ecosystems Specialist Group
Vue d'ensemble et description
Description:
The overall mission of the Wetland Ecosystems Specialist Group is to develop a global network of experts dedicated to promoting the preservation and restoration of wetlands and sustainable use of ...
Leadership de groupe
Dr Tatiana LOBATO DE MAGALHAES
Tatiana Lobato de Magalhães is a research professor at the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, an adjunct professor at North Dakota State University, and a visiting researcher at the University of Tasmania. Commission Deputy Chair of IUCN CEM Steering Committee, lead of the IUCN-CEM Wetland Ecosystems Specialist Group and former president of the International Chapter of the Society of Wetland Scientists. She has specialised in wetland research and education for nearly 20 years, with a strong emphasis on ecology, landscape genetics, and the distribution of aquatic plants. Her work includes research projects and teaching across the Americas and, recently, in Oceania, covering areas such as the Amazon, the Southern Brazil Highlands, Central Mexico, Tasmania, and the United States. Lobato de Magalhães is an associate editor of the Springer book series Wetlands: Ecology, Management, and Conservation, as well as of scientific journals Wetlands, Aquatic Botany, Marine and Freshwater Researcher, and New Zealand Marine and Freshwater Researcher. She has authored several books, including the World Atlas of Freshwater Macrophytes.
Dr Yasmin QUINTANA
Dr. Yasmin Quintana is a fisheries scientist, ecologist, and conservation biologist with over a decade of experience working across academic, governmental, non-governmental, and international institutions. She holds a Ph.D. in Ecology and Conservation Biology from Texas A&M University, an M.Sc. in Interdisciplinary Ecology with a concentration in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences from the University of Florida, and a B.Sc. in Biology from the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala.
She currently serves as the manager of the Center for Species Survival: Freshwater at Shedd Aquarium in partnership with the IUCN Species Survival Commission. In this role, she leads multi-country initiatives to protect threatened freshwater species in Mesoamerica, builds partnerships with governments, NGOs, and scientists, and develops capacity-building programs to strengthen regional conservation networks. She is the Co-Lead of the IUCN CEM Wetlands Ecosystems Specialist Group and a member of the IUCN SSC Freshwater Conservation Committee, where she has contributed to developing important efforts for freshwater conservation in Mesoamerica.
Her work focuses on the ecology, conservation, and management of aquatic ecosystems. She has led and co-led multiple research projects examining freshwater biodiversity, fish assemblages and their environmental drivers, invasive species, and fisheries management across diverse freshwater and estuarine systems. She has worked in Central America, in the U.S. and in Equatorial Guinea (continental region).
Previously, she served as a Biological Scientist and then as a Wildlife Director at the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP) in Guatemala, where she contributed to the development of the country’s National Biodiversity Strategy and advised the Executive Secretary on key topics, including the designation of Pacific Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) under the Convention on Biological Diversity and the implementation of projects supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Recognized as one of Crain’s Chicago Business 2024 Notable Latino Leaders and recipient of the Illustrious Guatemalan Award in Science (2023), Dr. Quintana is a committed advocate for freshwater biodiversity, bridging science, policy, and conservation action at national, regional, and global levels.
Dr. Yasmin Quintana is a fisheries scientist, ecologist, and conservation biologist with over a decade of experience working across academic, governmental, non-governmental, and international ...
Wetlands are one of the world’s most important environmental assets, existing in all continents and latitudes. Wetlands are home of a large biota diversity and provide significant economic, social and cultural benefits related to timber, fisheries, hunting, recreational and tourist activities, etc. In general they provide a wide array of useful and appreciated ecosystem services related to water quality preservation, erosion shore protection from wave action, nurseries for fish and other freshwater and marine animals. Wetlands can be critical to groundwater recharge, carbon sequestration, and reductions of storm and flooding damages. Wetlands play an important role in educating people about biodiversity and natural processes. However, many wetlands across the world have undergone significant degradation with negative impacts on biological diversity and peoples' livelihoods. Many of their resources are considered under risk as a result of anthropic impacts related to water management, damming, fishing, farming, oil exploitation, agriculture and forestry, etc. The losses are larger and faster on inland than on coastal natural areas.
Overarching Goal
The overall mission of the Wetlands Specialist Group is to develop a global network of experts dedicated to promoting the preservation and restoration of wetlands and sustainable use of their resources by maintaining their ecosystem services, enhancing their biodiversity, ecological processes, resilience, livelihoods and water, food and-health security for local communities.
To reach this goal several specific objectives should be addressed by the WE Group:
-
Educate and communicate society at different levels (managers, community leaders, decision makers, public, children and youth, etc.) on the importance to preserve wetlands ecological integrity highlighting this attribute as a key to maintain healthy ecosystem services
-
Stimulate research and knowledge on how sustainable use of renewable natural resources can foster more resilient wetlands
-
Promote the conservation and enhancement of wetlands biologic biodiversity and habitat structure
-
Promote an ecosystem-based approach to support wetlands management and planning policies, including stakeholder participation and suitable governance processes.
-
Relate wetlands conservation with incoming climate changes in different world areas.
-
Encourage specialist group participants to stimulate partnerships, collaboration and networking that address problems and visions related to wetlands conservation at large scale and transboundary monitoring.
-
Provide guidance and technical skills to managers and other stakeholders (NGOs, CBOs, indigenous and local communities, etc.) interested in assessing and monitoring wetlands and their resources.
IUCN Linkage
Due to the cross-cutting relevance of water, objectives of the Wetlands Ecosystem Specialist Group are strongly linked with CEM groups such as the Ecosystem Services, Climate Change Adaptation, Coastal Ecosystem, Petland Ecosystem, Dryland Ecosystem, Mountain Ecosystem, Resilience, Sustainable Use and Management of Ecosystem, Ecosystem Restoration, Business and Ecosystem Management, etc.
WE specialist group objectives are also related with tasks developed by the Commission on Education and Communication, Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy, World Commission on Environmental Law, Species Survival Commission, World Commission on Protected Areas, being also transversal to most of UICN Programs, and Mangroves for the Future and Water and Nature initiatives.
Global Partnerships
Convention on Biological Diversity including the process of identification of Ecological and Biologicaal Sensitive Ares (EBSAs), Vulnerable Marine - Ecosystems (VME); Link with Sustainable Ocean Initiative (SOI)
Expected Activities and Outputs
- Promote regional and international workshops related to wetlands conservation and management
- Explore potential cooperation with other cross- sectorial partners to address problems of water management in wetland systems
- Provide a list of ongoing projects, initiatives, future activities and available products developed by WE members
- Development and publishing (pdf version) of wetlands-based governance criteria to support a sustainable management approach related to human activities in different wetland types
- Participation in cross-sectorial activities related to wetlands and climate change adaptation
- Develop an picture album of world iconic wetlands showing natural and impacted conditions
- Develop an educative factsheet directed to students of elementary schools and to be distributed via internet highlighting the relevance of wetland as a provider if key ecosystem services
- Participate in the process of developing the Red List of Ecosystems
- Assess the economic value of wetlands to better highlight their usefulness
- Promote planned/targeted collective activities to at the next Ramsar COP13 in UAE, 2018
News:
Claudio Baigun, leader of the Wetland Ecosystems CEM Specialist group participated in the workshop (Sept. 2017) led by IUCN to generate a framework to promote a One Programme Strategy for Freshwater Biodiversity Conservation directed to raise the urgency of freshwater biodiversity conservation and motivate coordinated action among Members, Commissions and Secretariat to address critical threats. The IUCN One Programme Strategy for Freshwater Biodiversity Conservation will raise the urgency of freshwater biodiversity conservation and motivate coordinated action among Members, Commissions and Secretariat to address critical threats. Critical to this response will be the need to mobilize with the necessary speed and scale to reduce and eventually reverse the loss of freshwater biodiversity and degradation of freshwater ecosystems worldwide. Read more about this IUCN Programme and the workshop in the document you can download on the side of this page.