Wetland Management Planning: Overview

Abstract

Management planning for wetlands is a dynamic, iterative, and adaptive process to identify the important features of a wetland, to decide what objectives people want to achieve, and then what needs to be done and which resources are needed to achieve these objectives. The planning process also involves communication with all stakeholders and is a joint learning process. The process starts with a preparation phase for consultation with all people and groups likely to affect or be affected by management decisions. Management plans need to address six main questions, leading to the following plan structure: (1) Policy and Legislation (Why are we here?), which addresses the policy and legislation applying to the wetland; (2) Description (What have we got?), with general information and maps, and information about the environment, the people involved, and the wetland itself; (3) Evaluation (What are the important features?), in which the features of the wetland which will become the focus of the management process are identified; (4) Factors (What are the important influences?), in which the internal and external influences on the wetland, both natural and anthropogenic, are identified; (5) Objectives (What do we want?) describing the desired outcomes of the management in a specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-specific format with a clear vision and indicators; (6) Action Plan (What must we do?), in which the management actions for achieving the objectives are defined with a clear rationale and work program. The chapter provides recommendations for each of these sections.