International Training of Trainers Course on Wetland management

A course focusing on facilitating multi-stakeholder processes and curriculum development

Wetlands

Wetlands are hugely diverse. But whether they are ponds, marshes, coral reefs, peat lands, lakes or mangroves, they all share one fundamental feature: the complex interaction of their basic components – soil, water, animals and plants. Wetlands fulfill many functions and provide many products that have sustained humans over the centuries. Unsustainable use of wetlands, and the river basins as a whole, has led to the disruption of natural hydrological cycles. This has often resulted in higher frequency and severity of flooding, drought and pollution. The degradation and loss of wetlands and their biodiversity imposes major economic and social losses and costs. Appropriate protection and allocation of water to wetlands is essential to enable these ecosystems to survive and continue to provide important goods and services to local communities.

Wetland management

One of the difficulties identified in wetland management is the division of management responsibilities between different administrative authorities in a river basin. This often results in fragmented and competitive approaches to water resources planning and management. The management of wetlands therefore requires a multidisciplinary approach that integrates the technical, economic, environmental, social and legal aspects of water management which does not end at country borders but needs to be carried out on a river basin scale.

Integrated wetland management is a process through which people can develop a vision, agree on shared values and behaviors, make informed decisions and act together to manage the natural resources of a river basin.

The primary condition for achieving integrated wetland management is the willingness of sectoral stakeholders to work together. To achieve the necessary cooperation, stakeholders in a catchment area need to be able to understand each other clearly. Steps to achieve understanding of the various views, and to explore how far such separate views can be shared, will be one of the main issues covered within the ‘International Training of Trainers on Wetland Management’ (ICWM-TOT).

Wetland management training

Several wetland management training initiatives took place in the past decade. One of these initiatives was RIZA’s International Course on Wetland Management (ICWM). The 10th ICWM (2003) marked a change in strategy: instead of  n agement an international wetland management course in the Netherlands, RIZA and its partners wished to stimulate the development of similar courses in the different regions in the world (e.g. the International Course on African Wetland Management in Naivasha, Kenya). To support regional capacity building initiatives, Wageningen International and Rijkswaterstaat RIZA together have developed the International Training of Trainers on Wetland Management.

Aims and objectives

The ICWM-TOT aims to provide participants with the knowledge and skills necessary for curriculum development in the field of wetland management in their own region. The course will focus on the multi- stakeholder processes that play an important role in
wetland management and the need for transboundry and cross-sectoral co-operation to manage the natural resources of a river basin and its wetlands.

Who can participate?

The ICWM-TOT is designed for (future) trainers in wetland management. The course programme is suitable for wetland managers and land use planners, policy makers, consultants, researchers and NGO staff who have affinity with training.

Programme topics

• Concepts in wetland and river basin management:
  Concepts in wetland and river basin management (ecological, social and economic perspective) as well as ecosystem approach, Ramsar, CBD and other international agreements.
• Facilitation of multi-stakeholder processes:
  Multi-stakeholder processes, tools and techniques to support the facilitation of multi-stakeholder processes in wetland management, public participation, stakeholder involvement in decision making and conflict management.
• Fieldwork wetland management:
  Wetland management, stakeholder analysis and public participation in practice.
• Adult education and social learning:
  Participatory learning principles, learning styles, the learning cycle, educational psychology, raising awareness.
• Curriculum development:
  Training skills, curriculum development, development of a training programme for wetland managers.

The course will be interactive with a high degree of personal contributions by the participants. Besides lectures the course will include fieldwork, technical and social excursions. The ICWM-TOT will provide the opportunity of professional networking fostered by the institutions  n agement the course, as a follow-up after attending the training.

Organisation/Partners

Wageningen International in close co-operation with the WetCap Partnership, the Ramsar Convention Secretariat and the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. Several governmental and non-governmental institutes will also be involved in the programme.
The course is supported by the Ramsar Secretariat

Requirements for admission

Applicants should meet the following requirements:

• Have at least a Bachelor level qualification or equivalent educational background.
• Have at least two years of professional experience.
• Be involved in wetland management and preferably assigned to capacity building in wetland management.
• Be fluent in spoken and written English.