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Wetland Values and Functions

C ULTURAL V ALUE THIS IS A RELATIVELY POORLY DOCUMENTED FUNCTION OF WETLANDS, yet there are many instances where wetlands have significant religious, historical, archaeological or other cultural values for local communities, representing a part of a nation’s heritage. Some wetlands support traditional activities part of the history of the nation – at ent & Nuthat " Sedim trierepresent t n e n t m R Mai Po marshes, for example, these human-made wetlands eten represent the only remaining place nish e l p e where Hong n anWai (shrimp ponds), a traditional r RKong residents can witness the operation of thetioGei e t a d E of years. w method of shrimp cultivation practised by local people for hundreds nd x

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In some cultures wetlands may have deep religious significance for local people. In Tibet, pre-Buddhist belief identified various lakes as sacred, making them objects of worship as well as ensuring their protection from pollution and other harm. As Buddhism took over, these beliefs remained, albeit in a modified form, and certain lakes in Tibet are still sacred to the people with strict regulations that determine their exploitation.

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"S ✔ Although largely an unexplored, poorly documented hor subject, wetlands are frequently of religious, historical, eli e St archaeological or other cultural significance at thenlocal abil or national level. isati o ✔ In a preliminary survey of Ramsar sites, over 30% of a sample of 603 Ramsar sites recorded some archaeological, historical, religious mythological or cultural significance at either local or national level.

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In Australia, many wetlands have signifi" In Portugal, despite the investment of US$ 150 million, authorities abandoned the construction of the Côa cant social and cultural value for their traDam in 1995 after Palaeolithic engravings were ditional Aboriginal owners. On the unearthed. Coburg Peninsula (the world’s first " In Tibet certain lakes have deep religious significance Ramsar site), the traditional Aboriginal for local populations and associated with this are strict owners still conduct an active ceremonial regulations that determine exploitation of the lakes. life and undertake semi-traditional hunt" The Coburg Peninsula Ramsar site in Australia has great for the traditional Aboriginal owners, who ing and gathering in this coastal iment & Nutrien significance " Sedwetland. t n still conduct an active ceremonial life and undertake e t m This site also has historical significance for R eten ish n e l semi-traditional t p i on a hunting and gathering. European ersettlers. Many other wetland Re " The operation t ndof the Gei Wai, a traditional way of a sitesnaround the world are of archaeologiExppractised by local people for dw shrimp cultivation u ort only be seen by Hong Kong ro significance, such as the Stavns Fjord cal G hundreds of years, can " " ol Ramsar site in Denmark which is widely residents at the Mai Po marshes Wa Ramsar site. r t n terin Denmark is an " The Stavns Fjord Ramsar site o known for the archaeological significance Pufrom the Bronze age. dC outstanding archaeological site of the remains from the early settlers in rifi " Divers in Lake Titicaca have recently a cadiscovered the Bronze Age and constructions from t temple that pre-dates the Inca period.ion "S the Viking era. In recent weeks, divers hor have discovered a temple that pre-dates e

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C ULTURAL V ALUE ...

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While it is very hard to put a “dollar” value on this cultural function, the construction of Portugal’s ue Côa Dam does give an lKarlson Photo:WWF/Sture a lV indication of the value at a r u least some countries place on their cultural heritage: despite the US$ 150 million already ult invested C in the dam, construction was abandoned in 1995 after Palaeolithic engravings were"unearthed.

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the Inca era at the bottom of Lake Titicaca, a Ramsar site spanning the border between Peru and Bolivia.

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m r is u o A recent preliminary study by Dave Pritchard of the cultural values of Ramsar indicates that n/T sites o i this cultural function of wetlands is widespread and worthy of more attention of 603 Ramsar at e r sites recently examined, over 30% were recorded as having archaeological, ec historical, cultural, reli" R or national scale, in addition gious, mythological or artistic/creative significance, either on atylocal i ers to their many other values. # v i d Bio f o s voir r e s " Re n o i t Mitiga on & S e g n a h torm Protection " Climate C

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Wetland Values and Functions

The Ramsar Bureau Rue Mauverney 28 CH-1196 Gland Switzerland Tel.: +41 22 999 0170 Fax.: +41 22 999 0169 e-mail: [email protected] Web site: http://ramsar.org