Main Topics

Topics covered in each of the six panels are as follows:

1. Inventory and Monitoring
This session will address the approaches and processes adopted for the development of a national wetlands inventory, as well the basic information needed to identify wetlands for general and specific purposes. Discussions will also focus on the information needed to determine the wetlands status and to show trend on qualitative and/or change in time.

2. Classification and delineation
This session will address the criteria and methodologies that have been developed and used for the classification and delineation of wetlands, as well as the difficulties inherent in their adoption. In the light of national and international experience, the session will be open for recommendations on criteria and methodologies that could be applied and adopted in Mexico.

3. Evaluation, Assessment and Restoration
This session will address the criteria and methodologies for evaluation, assessment and restoration of wetlands. Discussions will cover topics such as: evaluation of wetland condition and parameters that should be included; the possibility and way of including restoration potential as part of the inventory; uses frameworks and approaches for wetland valuation; valuation of ecosystem services, and how can they be monitored.

4. Environmental Flows
This session will address the existing approaches for the determination of water requirements to maintain certain condition of wetlands, and the criteria to be taken to define the procedure for determining the ecological flow (environmental flows) under a river basin/watershed perspective. The discussions will also include the definition of monitoring criteria to ensure compliance with the environmental flow, in quantity and quality.

5. Climate Change Adaptation
This session will address the most important threats to wetlands under climate change and potential changes of wetlands as climate changes. Other topics to be discussed include possible adaptation measures that can be taken, and the impact of climate changes on the schemes for inventory, evaluation, and monitoring schemes.

6. Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing
This session will address specific experiences and specific criteria that should be taken into account for the generation of a GIS for the National Wetlands Inventory. The session will review national and international experiences on the use of different platforms and information technologies, as well as the sources of information now available and the role of remote sensing.

Posters
In order to disseminate more widely the specific experiences of the participating institutions, a space for presentation of posters and distribution of printed material will be provided.

Participants