This document summarizes a seminar on rivers and water ecosystem restoration held in Ljubljana from November 16-18, 2011. It discusses the Ramsar mission of wetland conservation and sustainable development. It outlines wetland functions, values, and diversity. It defines the wise use concept of maintaining wetland ecological character through sustainable development. Finally, it discusses sustainable tourism development in wetlands, highlighting the role tourism can play in conservation if managed properly.

1. Forging Targets and Solutions for Rivers
and Water Ecosystem Restoration
Seminar 16-18 November 2011, Ljubljana
Sustainable Tourism and
Wetland Management
Gordana Beltram, PhD
Director, Park Škocjanske jame, Slovenija

2. The Ramsar Mission
"the conservation and wise use of all
wetlands through local and national actions
and international cooperation, as a
contribution towards achieving sustainable
development throughout the world"

3. Wetland Functions and Values
Wetland Diversity

4. The Wise Use Concept
"the maintenance of their ecological
character, achieved through the
implementation of ecosystem approaches,
within the context of sustainable
development"
"Wise use" therefore has at its heart the conservation and sustainable
use of wetlands and their resources, for the benefit of humankind.

5. Sustainable Tourism
Development
• COP11: Wetlands, Tourism
and Recreation, June
2012, in Bucharest,
Romania
• <35% of Ramsar Sites
around the world record
some level of tourism
• Consider all wetlands

6. An Ecosystem Service
Ensuring well-managed tourism practices in and
around wetlands and educating tourists on the
value of wetlands contributes to the health of
the world's wetlands and the long-term benefits
that wetlands provide to people, wildlife,
economics, and biodiversity.

7. Sustainable Tourism in
Wetland Areas
Tourism can play a very important role in
conservation issues if environmental awareness
and conservation messages are part of well-
managed tourism activities.
www.ramsar.org

8. Wetlands and Tourism
2012 Campaign
• How can tourists contribute to local economies,
conservation goals, education and raise
awareness about the benefits of wetlands?
• How can recreation encourage conservation?
• How can local NGOs partner with wetlands
managers for best practices to maintain or
increase biodiversity and ecosystem health?
• How many ways can wetlands managers and
tourism planners integrate sustainable tourism
and recreation into well-managed wetlands?

9. Welcome to Park Škocjanske
jame!
Foto: Borut Lozej,PŠJ