The Ramsar Convention's Programme on Communication, Capacity-building, Education, Participation and Awareness (CEPA) was established to help raise awareness of wetland values and functions. The CEPA Programme calls for coordinated international and national wetland education, public awareness and communication. The Programme also encourages the promotion of training in the fields of wetland research and management.
CEPA Action Plans
The CEPA Programme encourages the development of CEPA Plans at the national, catchment and site level to support Ramsar implementation. Australia has developed a CEPA Plan at the national level for the triennium 2016-2018.
At the Ramsar site level, a CEPA Plan has been developed by the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council for the Peel-Yalgorup System Ramsar site in Western Australia.
Learning about wetlands
World Wetlands Day
World Wetlands Day (WWD) is celebrated each year on 2 February. It marks the anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) in Ramsar, Iran, on 2 February 1971.
WWD was first celebrated in 1997. Since this time government agencies, non-government organisations and community groups across the world have celebrated World Wetlands Day by undertaking actions to raise public awareness of wetland values and benefits and promote the conservation and wise use of wetlands.
Primary school classroom kit
For World Wetlands Day 2011 and the fortieth anniversary of the Ramsar Convention, the Australian Government produced a primary school classroom kit. This activity kit includes a unit plan, fact sheets, a DVD, origami and subject book stickers.
Wetlands Australia
The Australian Government produces a publication, Wetlands Australia - National Wetland Update. The magazine aims to bring attention to Australia's achievements and continuing challenges in wetland conservation and wise use.
Wetlands Education
The Australian Government has produced a number of resources about wetlands and their management.
- Celebrating Australia’s wetlands: A showcase of Australian Ramsar sites
- Australian National Guidelines for Ramsar Wetlands
- Issues paper: The role of wetlands in the carbon cycle
Australia's amazing wetlands
- Australia's amazing wetlands - brochure - 2017
- Australia's amazing wetlands - video, 2012
Fact sheets
- Australia's obligations under the Ramsar Convention: Legislative support for wetlands - fact sheet
- Australia's Ramsar sites - fact sheet
- Limits of acceptable change - fact sheet
- Notification of change in ecological character - fact sheet
- Planning and management of urban and peri-urban wetlands in Australia - fact sheet
- Wetlands and Agriculture - fact sheet
- Wetlands and biodiversity - fact sheet
- Wetlands and changes in water flows - fact sheet
- Wetlands and coastal/urban development - fact sheet
- Wetlands and Indigenous values - fact sheet
- Wetlands and migratory shorebirds - fact sheet
- Wetlands and resilience to natural hazards - fact sheet
- Wetlands and the community - fact sheet
- Wetlands and the Ramsar Convention - fact sheet
- Wetlands and water quality - fact sheet
- Wetlands in Australia – roles and responsibilities - fact sheet
- Wise use of wetlands in Australia - fact sheet
Queensland Wetlands Program
The Queensland Wetlands Program has delivered a range of new mapping, information and decision-making tools that will enable government agencies, landowners, conservationists and regional land care bodies to protect and manage wetlands for future generations. Details of all Queensland Wetlands Program products can be found on WetlandInfo.
Wetland Link International - Australia
Wetland Link International (WLI), an initiative of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in the UK, is a major platform of the Ramsar Convention's Program on CEPA. WLI aims to improve links between wetland educators at all levels.
Australian wetland education centres
Wetland education centres are located in every Australian state and territory.