Ramsar FAQs
Q. What is Scotland 's contribution to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands?
A. There are 51 Ramsar sites within Scotland. Their locations span an area from the Shetland Isles to the Solway Firth and together they constitute around four percent of Scotland's land area. While the majority of Ramsar sites in Scotland are important for birds, some are also important for aquatic plants, invertebrates and mammals, including seals and otters, or else are prime examples of important habitats, such as bogs and mires, salt marshes and dunes.
Q. What is the Scottish Government's policy in relation to Ramsar sites that are not also Sites of Special Scientific Interest?
A. The Scottish Government's policy is that all Ramsar sites receive the same level of legal protection as areas that have been designated as Special Protection Areas under the EC Birds Directive or Special Areas of Conservation under the Habitats Directive.
Q. The Ramsar Convention was signed in 1971, how relevant is it in the 21st century?
A. The Ramsar Strategic Plan (2003-08) was undertaken to continue wetland conservation and promote sustainable development worldwide. It aims in particular to address global issues including poverty eradication, food and water security, integrated approaches to water management, climate change and its predicted impacts, increasing globalisation of trade and international development.