Story | 30 May, 2017
Tanguar Haor: A wetland in the hands of the people
After almost a century of exclusive ownership by wealthy elites, Tanguar Haor is finally back in the hands of the people who rely on it. A 10-year initiative of the government of Bangladesh, supported by IUCN and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, has recently drawn to a close.…
Story | 25 May, 2017
International Day for Biodiversity: Nature-based tourism integrated plan needed for Bangladesh
A well-managed ecosystem provides an important foundation for many aspects of tourism. Tourism revenue, in turn, can contribute to the maintenance, protection and conservation of key wildlife populations – which is why the theme of this year’s International Day of Biodiversity (IDB), announced…
Story | 16 May, 2017
Conserving wetlands in Myanmar: Gulf of Mottama is Myanmar’s fourth Ramsar site
Myanmar is home to an extraordinary diversity of wetlands, which include mountainous wetlands; large freshwater marshes and lakes; and coastal mangroves, mudflats and coral reefs. These ecosystems support fisheries, provide clean water, store carbon and protect local people from the impacts of…
Blog | 05 Apr, 2017
Blog: Tanguar Haor − The Beginning of a New Era
From 2006 to 2016, the Government of Bangladesh, with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and IUCN, has managed Tanguar Haor, a Ramsar site, together with local communities. Just recently, the government has decided to continue to support the co-…
Press release | 03 Apr, 2017
Enhancing regional cooperation to protect and restore Indo-Burma wetlands
The importance of regional cooperation took centre stage at the first Steering Committee meeting and inception workshop for the Indo-Burma Ramsar Regional Initiative (IBRRI), held on 29 and 30 March in Bangkok, Thailand.
Story | 16 Mar, 2017
Can restoring mangroves help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals?
The answer is yes. Restoring and protecting mangroves helps fulfil multiple Global Goals, from improving life below water, to reducing poverty and hunger, to many goals in between. We take a closer look at why.
Story | 10 Mar, 2017
Ecosystem services for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction – a ‘win-win’ approach
Nadi, Fiji, 10 March 2017 (IUCN) – The increasing incidence and severity of disasters are leaving more people vulnerable each year. The Oceania region is particularly prone to disasters with cyclones, floods, droughts and other natural hazards such as earthquakes and tsunamis causing widespread…
Story | 21 Feb, 2017
Mass mangrove restoration: Driven by good intentions but offering limited results
There is an urgent need to address the global degradation of coastal ecosystems, but are mass mangrove planting initiatives sustainable?
Story | 10 Feb, 2017
Upon closer review: livelihoods impacts from FLR trend positive, but…
A recent review of studies from around the world examined forest landscape restoration (FLR) interventions and their impacts on livelihoods to deduce prevailing global trends in the relationship. The overall consensus is that the correlation is both figuratively and scientifically positive, but…
Story | 01 Feb, 2017
Mangroves – green coastal guardians
Today, a rapidly increasing number of people are flocking to the coasts – to build their homes, to spend their holidays or to conduct business activities. Meanwhile, climate change is turning coasts into increasingly hazardous living environments. Human conversion of coastal ecosystems is…