Sustainable Management and Resilience of Arctic Wetlands Scoping Study: Phase 1 Report and Appendices

Abstract

The Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) Working Group of the Arctic Council (www.caff.is) is undertaking an initiative on enhancing engagement at all levels (technical, policy, etc) in relation to the roles and functions of Arctic wetlands as a resource to support sustainable development and resilience in the circumpolar Arctic. The overall goal of the project is to develop recommendations to support policy measures and management strategies to conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services. Here we report on the activities and outcomes of phase 1 of this project, which includes a survey of wetland inventories in Arctic countries and a scoping literature review of research on Arctic wetlands to identify where knowledge is currently lacking. Phase two of this project addresses itself to knowledge gaps (as identified in this report) pertaining to wetlands status, wetlands uses, and to regulatory and management practices, all of which are needed for developing recommendations for potential policy and management actions.