Strategies for education and public awareness on peatlands wise use Tierra del Fuego, Argentina Urciuolo A., Iturraspe R. UNTDF September, 2016
Background: Peatlands use Planning process Education and public awareness
Mires of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina Tierra del Fuego island is located at the south of the Magallanes strait, 53-55 Lat. S 270.000 Ha of different types of peatlands TIERRA DEL FUEGO Lago Fagnano
Main problems Peatlands are included in the National Mining law as minerals of 2nd category. Peat harvesting is a growing activity carried out for many years without any order Peatlands were managed mainly as mines
But Peatlands are Wetlands
Why to order peatlands use Peatlands are wetlands (international agreements) Ecosystems of high enviromental value Peatlands are second category mines. (ac. to Mining Law) Resource used by productive sector Need of integrated management Participative planning process Creation of the Commission for Peatlands use planning
Background: The planning process Workshop Conservation of ecosystems at global level, with emphasys in Tierra del Fuego mires, march 2000 (CADIC-SDSyA Greisfwald Univ.) Temas Workshop Cathment regulated by peatlands, March 2004, SDSyA Greisfwald Univ. IMCG Field Symposium in Tierra del Fuego- Dic 2005. Workshop Towards a Strategy for the wise use of peatlands of Tierra del Fuego. Apr 2008 Financed by Wetlands Int. FARN SDSyA Workshop Strategy and land planning for the wise use of mires of Tierra del Fuego. Apr 2010 SDSyA Wetlands Int. FARN Creation of a Comission for mires use planning presided by the Environmental Secretariat of TDF Coordinator: Adriana Urciuolo Conclusions of Workshop Conclusions of Workshop The Ushuaia Statement, IMCG - 2005 Proposal Strategy and Action Plan for the wise use of TDF peatlands Planning criteria for the wise use of peatlands Peatlands use zonning (2011)
Main Stakeholders Temas Who participated of the process: Managers from National (Env., Water, RAMSAR Focal point) and provincial Goverments (Mining, Environment, Water Resources, Protected Areas, Forest, Land use planning, etc.). Scientists from Universities: UNPSJB, UBA, Greisfwald and research Institutes: CONICET, INTA. Experts from different countries (form Europe, Chile, Canadá, Peat Mining Asociation and independent mining producers Tourism managers and guides International (IMCG, Wetlands), national (FARN), and local (Finisterrae, Manekenk) Networks and organizations
TECHNICAL Workshop 2010 Temas Defining Planning criteria for the wise use of mires
Inputs of IMCG Statement (2005) to the Strategy and Action Plan (2008) Inmediate actions for the protection of Andorra and Rancho Hambre peatlands. Legal status protection to Peninsula Mitre Development and implementation of a Strategy and Action Plan for the wise use of peatlands Inventory of peatlands, protection of natural values of important mires, formulation of legislation to formalise such protection Programmes for public awareness, education and ecotourism. Development of expertise and the knowledgebase necessary to inform the planning process Obligatory Environmental Impact Assessment using the IPS/IMCG Wise Use Guidelines. Implementation of restoration measures for degraded peatlands
Strategy and Action Plan 2008 The IMCG Ushuaia Statement, 2005 Strategy and Action Plan for the wise use of TDF peatlands, 2008 Participative Proposal for the local authorities
Strategy and Action Plan 2008 The Strategy was signed by all the participants and adopted by the Government
Antecedentes Products of the process: RAMSAR Site in Estrategias Andorra Valley (2009) Estrategia para el uso racional de las turberas Temas (FARN; Wetlands) Mire of Andorra Valley
Products of the process: Peatlands use zoning The IMCG Statement, 2005 RAMSAR Resolutions Strategy and Action Plan for the wise use of mires, 2008 Strategic Territorial Plan 2016 Desired Model of TDF Province Land use planning drivers Planning criteria, 2010 Planning Principles and Legal framework Protected areas action plans Forestry Ordering Peatlands use regulation (2011)
Peatlands use regulation (2011) RESOLUTION SD 401/2011 OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL SECRETARIAT OF TIERRA DEL FUEGO Establishes the zonning for peatlands use Establishes the planning criteria Orders the Commission intervention before given new concessions.
Peatlands use Zonning (2011) A: Protection areas B: Reserve (30 years) areas C: Extractive use areas with regulated habilitation for harvesting
Peatlands use Zonning signed by stakeholders
Strategy and Action plan (2008) related to Education & public awareness Guideline Production of peatlands education materials. For transfer of scientific material to format of spreading Assessment and quantification of peatlands as reservoirs and carbon sinks. It must advance the recognition of Argentina's contribution to climate change mitigation To promote the scientific research directed to the technological transfer and the production of information needed for the public and private management Responsible agencies National and Provincial Environmental Agency CADIC-UNTDF National Environmental Agency Protected areas Direction of TDF Wetlands Int. Provincial Environmental Agency UNTDF-CADIC Outcomes Educational material Major scientific knowledge Quantification of peatlandas as reservoirs and sinks of carbon Best practices manual Guidelines for the rational operation and environmental restoration
A concrete Strategy
Strategy General Objective To promote conservation and wise use of TDF peatlands Temas through educational, communicational and public awareness processes involving the main stakeholders focusing on the implementation of RAMSAR Resolution XII.11 and other initiatives
Main Stakeholders Participants of the Mires use planning process (National and Goverments, Universities, Research Institutes, ONGs, Temas Producers,..) + School and University Students Teachers and professors of Teachers training Institute People of the towns (Trough Neighborhood committees)
Different Strategies Temas Strategies for education and public awareness For Protection areas For areas with regulated use Conservation Best Practices
Obj. 1: Guideline Specific Objectives Temas Actions Rasing public awareness on the values of peatlands Promotion of RAMSAR sites and protected areas for education related to the values`and ec. services of peatlands Educational walks in Andorra Valley RAMSAR Site (Directed to habitants of the valley, students, teachers, ONGs, and public ). Study tours to protected peatlands: Carbajal and Rancho Hambre Visits with tourist agencies and guides promoting peatlands as high value tourist and recreational sites. Dissemination of results of Projects and Studies in protected areas Educational material (Flyer of RAMSAR Site, other peatlands, etc.) Agreement UNTDF-INFUETUR for preparing diffusion materials, etc. UNTDF Projects must have a dissemination module (values of peatlands) Technical and participative Workshops and conferences about values of peatlands and RAMSAR Resolutions. Diffusion in different regional and national media (films, TV programs) Organizing journeys about peatlands with school students and teachers Working on a new RAMSAR Site: Peninsula Mitre
Andorra Valley RAMSAR Site Proceso Specific de Objectives Ordenamiento en la Pcia.
Andorra Valley RAMSAR Site Educational walk in the RAMSAR Site
Andorra Valley RAMSAR Site Educational walk in the RAMSAR Site
Water supply services Grande River (in the RAMSAR Site)
Hydrological regulation services Andorra mire (in the RAMSAR Site)
Diffusion activities (Reuters Agency) Interview in Andorra peat mining establishment (in RAMSAR Site)
Diffusion activities: Chapter of TV movie Diary of Sciences Film (UNTDF) financed by National Movies Institute in RAMSAR Site
Education: material for dissemination Carbajal Valley (In Protected area)
Water supply services Olivia River in Carbajal Valley
Educational material Peat harvesting in Carbajal Valley
Publication: TDF peatlands and global climate change Financed by Wetlands Int. (Rodolfo Iturraspe) Colab. DGRH Temas Publication on Carbajal Valley Peatland
Booklet financed by Wetlands Int. Temas
Education: Rancho Hambre peatland Definir y c Temas Proyecto UBA PICT 2006 (Direc. G. Mataloni) Las lagunas de las turberas de Rancho Hambre. Un estudio limnológico integrado. Colab. DGRH
Involving technical personnel of Management Goverment agencies in Projects of universities Temas Proyecto UBA PICT 2006 (Direc. G. Mataloni) Las lagunas de las turberas de Rancho Hambre. Un estudio limnológico integrado. Colab. DGRH
More RAMSAR Sites in TDF Temas Thinkimg on Peninsula Mitre as a new RAMSAR Site
Obj. 1: Guideline Specific Objectives Temas Actions Raising public awareness on the values of peatlands Dissemination of knowledge related to the effects of peatlands drainage Study tours to drained mires Educational Material related to lost of mires functions (UNTDF) Diffusion (films, TV programs, etc) explaining problems of drainage in peatlands) Bi-national (Chile and Argentina)Technical workshops and Conferences Discussion about of the effects of drainages during peatlands visits
Study tours to drained peatlands Showing effects of Peat mining in the RAMSAR Site
Drained peatlands
Specific Objectives Obj. 2: Guideline Temas Actions Promoting the wise use of mires in areas of regulated use Education and communication on best practices Bi-national and local Workshops of Best practices (1/year) Flyers, posters, etc. of Best Practices to Government areas and producers Flyers of schemes for Environmental Impact Assessment using the IPS/IMCG Wise Use Guidelines Study tours to peatlands of the extractive area showing problems related to bad practices
Best Practices manual (Dominguez E.) Temas
Specific Objectives Obj. 2: Guid- Temas line Actions Promoting the wise use of mires in extractives areas Diffusion of practices and benefits of peatlands restoration Demonstrative Project of Peatland hydrological restoration (Wetlands International UNDTF) Study tours to the peatland used as study case Tourist visits to the peatland used as study case Technical Workshops and conferences (1st conference was in july/2016) Educational material showing results of the projects in Argentina and Chile Presentation of project results in the 2nd Binational Best Practices Workshop
Specific Objectives Obj. 3: Temas Guideline Actions To bring appropiate tools to carry out activities of education and communication Faciliting the interchange and systematizing of experiences Creation of a Patagonian Network (Universities, Research Institutes, Government Agencies and NGOs) using the existing Ecofluvial Network to share information and organizing joint experiences in matter of education and communication. Creation of an Integrated Information System of peatlands in Patagonia including conservation and wise use experiences Creation of a Sub-commision (in the framework of the Petlandas Commision) of education, communication and public awareness. Intermedia integrated project: containig videos, photos, movies generated in peatlands (DPA-UNTDF)
Muchas Gracias!!