The Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention) reported that the Government of Bolivia has designated three new Ramsar Sites, Río Matos, Río Blanco, and Río Yata, totalling nearly seven million hectares in area.
4 February 2013: The Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) reported that the Government of Bolivia has designated three new Ramsar Sites, Río Matos, Río Blanco, and Río Yata, totaling nearly seven million hectares in area.
According to the Ramsar Convention Secretariat, the area of Bolivia’s 11 Wetlands of International Importance is now 14.8 million hectares, making it the contracting party with the greatest area designated as Ramsar Sites. The designations were officially announced at a World Wetlands Day Celebration in Trinidad.
The Secretariat further notes that the designations contribute to the listing of Amazonian wetlands, which are under-represented in the Ramsar List. Bolivia’s designations contribute to one of the goals contained in the Ramsar Convention’s Strategic Plan for 2009-2015, which is to reach a protected area of 250 million hectares by 2015. [Ramsar Press Release]