22

General characteristics and importanceof high andean wetlands

T he lakes, lagoons, marshes and peat bogs of the High Andesand the mountains of Costa Rica are ecosystems of enormous

strategic importance for more than 100 million people. Theirecological, economic, social and cultural value must be takeninto account in the design and implementation of developmentpolicies in countries where these ecosystems are found.

The majority of paramo wetlands, jalca and puna are notisolated bodies of water, but rather, ecosystem complexes.Therefore, they play an essential role in the dynamics of highlandtributary basins, as well as of other hydrographic systems, giventhat their waters flow towards the Amazonian watersheds ortowards the Pacific or Caribbean coasts.

As well as being important sources of water, high Andeanwetlands have a singular biological diversity. Many species ofplants and animals inhabiting these ecosystems are not found inany other parts of the world. Furthermore, several species of

Many speciesof plants and

animalsinhabitingthese

ecosystems arenot found in

any other partsof the world

Junín lake / Perú

33

migratory birds congregate in these areas on atemporary basis. Some of these wetlands provideshelter and reproduction sites for a largenumber of threatened animals, such asAndean flamingos and harlequin frogs of thegenus Atelopus. Additionally, they are a fun-damental component of the habitat of someeconomic and ecologically importantmammals, such as the vicuña, guanaco andchinchilla.

The Ramsar Convention considers highAndean wetlands to be highly fragileecosystems as a result of both natural causes(such as climate change or prolonged droughton the puna) as well as human intervention (forexample, non-sustainable agriculture, excessivegrazing and open cast mining). Many mountainwetlands are being lost at an accelerated rate, aboveall, due to poor management and a lack of knowledge oftheir economic and ecological importance.

Ecosystem services from high andean wetlandsOne of the main services provided by high Andean wetlands

is the provision of water, not only for human communities livingin the surrounding areas, but also for irrigating agricultural land,generating hydroelectric energy and for drinking water furtherdownstream.

As well as providing water, wetlands provide vegetable fibres,food and genetic resources, in addition to regulating and feedinghydrographic systems and fixing carbon. These ecosystems alsorepresent an invaluable cultural heritage due to their spiritualand religious significance. High Andean wetlands are importantareas for life and cultural wealth in general, rich in symbolism,myths and spiritual values for numerous indigenous and rural

Some of thesewetlands

provide shelterand

reproductionsites for a largenumber ofthreatenedanimals

Lago Uru Uru / Bolivia

44

communities. These historic and traditional values, many of whichare directly linked to wetlands make up part of the Andean cul-tural heritage and should be taken into account in themanagement of these natural areas.

However, it must be highlighted that services provided by highAndean wetlands are not unlimited. The degradation of theseecosystems gives rise to the loss of not only essential waterresources, but also many other benefits provided by such anenvironment, including their potential for recreation andecotourism. Therefore, if we want to continue to exploit theseecosystems we must conserve them. Their use must not exceeda critical threshold, beyond which their deterioration becomesirreversible.

Services provided byhigh Andeanwetlandsare not unlimited. Thedegradation of theseecosystems gives riseto the loss of not only

essential waterresources, but alsomany other benefits

Laguna Colorada / Bolivia

55

Diversity and origin of highandean wetlands

A great diversity of high Andean wetlandsexists, partially due to their different origins. Onthe paramos, puna and jalca , there arefreshwater lakes of glacial, volcanic andtectonic origin; salt pans, saline and brackishlagoons in areas which were formerlyoccupied by sea water; peat bogs and bofe-dales formed by supersaturation of soils orby groundwater; as well as hot springs andgeysers of volcanic origin, among others.Similarly, dominant vegetation in mountainwetlands is highly variable, with the presenceof the following formations, among others:different kinds of reed beds, dense herbaceousformations associated with salt soils known as vegas,dense cushions of plants of the genus Distichia and thickstands of mountain bamboo.

Dominantvegetation inmountainwetlands is

highly variable

Afombrales wetlands, Los Nevados National Natural Park / Colombia

Los Nevados National Natural Park / Colombia

66

P

Bioregions includinghigh andean wetlands

Paramo

aramos constitute a high tropical mountain bioregion,covering the Northern Andes and the high Central American

mountains. Paramos are found in the north of Peru, Ecuador,Colombia, Venezuela and Costa Rica. They are characterised bylow temperatures, pronounced climatic variation during the dayand a relative humidity of more than 80%. Their soils are usuallyrich in organic matter and have a high capacity for water storage.Paramo vegetation consists of grasslands or scrublands includingroseate plants, shrubs, bamboos and moss cushions.

One of the most outstanding attributes of the paramos is theirgreat diversity of freshwater sources, coming from glaciers inaddition to the atmosphere. Water is found in the form of ponds,marshland, lakes and streams emerging from underground. Due

Paramo, Jalcaand Puna arethe threebioregions

which includehigh andeanwetlands

Bofedal Laguna del Indio / Perú

77

to paramo soils and vegetation retaining such enormous quantitiesof water, in practical terms, the majority of these wetlands couldbe classed as extensive semi-aquatic ecosystems.

JalcaJalca is a transition bioregion between paramo and puna, found

in the mountains of northern Peru. They are very similar instructure and function to paramos, given that they have a highrelative humidity and rainfall, as well as marked daily climaticfluctuations. As oppose to paramos, a marked seasonal climaticfluctuation also exists in jalca ecosystems.

PunaThe puna bioregion is found on the high plateaus of the

Peruvian, Bolivian, Argentinean and Chilean Andes. The ecosystemis characterised by an intense cold, aridity and marked dailyfluctuations in temperature. Due to its latitude it is also subjectto drastic seasonal climatic changes. Puna vegetation is made upof small grasslands and disperse dwarf shrubs and trees. Manyof the rivers flowing towards the puna often have patches ofvegetation in their lower reaches which are characteristic of otheraltitudes, forming a type of oasis in a predominantly desert-likelandscape.

Human population density in puna is much higher than inparamo, some big cities, such as La Paz (Bolivia) or Cusco (Peru)are built over the puna.

Los Puentes / Venezuela

88

T

The Ramsar convention andhigh andean wetlands

he convention on wetlands of international importance wassigned in Ramsar, Iran in 1971. The 8th Conference of the

Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention, held in Valencia,Spain in November 2002, approved a resolution to recognise�High Andean wetlands as strategic ecosystems�. By means ofthis resolution, the countries parties to the convention committedthemselves to establishing �specific work programmes for HighAndean wetlands and the basins fed by them, in order to preser-ve their valuable biodiversity, their function as regulators of water,and as living space of many local and peasant communities andindigenous peoples�.

With the idea of putting this resolution into practice, the Ram-sar Secretariat, associated countries and organisations (WetlandsInternational, Birdlife International, WWF and IUCN) as well astechnical networks (High Andes Flamingo Conservation Groupand International Working Group on Paramos) took on the task

The Ramsarconventionapproved aresolution to

recognise �HighAndean

wetlands asstrategic

ecosystems�

Tara salt lake / Chile

99

of designing, promoting and implementing a joint strategy forthe conservation and sustainable use of high Andean wetlands. Itis hoped that within the framework of this strategy, the numberof high Andean wetlands designated as sites of internationalimportance increases (see table 1). This is one of the toolsemployed by the convention to promote conservation andsustainable use of those wetlands which meet special criteria.

High Andean Ramsar Sites Altitude (m) Area (ha)Country

Laguna de los Pozuelos 3500 16,224Lagunas de Vilama 4500 157,000Laguna Brava Provincial Reserve 2500-4500 405,000

Laguna Colorada 4232 51,318Titicaca Lake (Bolivian sector) 3809-4200 800,000Tajzara Watershed 3700-4100 5500Lagos Poopó and Uru Uru 3686 967,607

Surire salt lake 4200 15,858Huasco salt lake 3500 6000Tara salt lake 4400 5443Soncor Hidrologic system 2300 5016Laguna del Negro Francisco and Laguna Sta. Rosa 3715-4000 62,460

La Cocha Lake 2700-3500 39,000

El Cajas National Park Wetland System 3160-4445 29,477

Titicaca Lake (Peruvian sector) 3810 460,000Junín Lake 4080-4125 53,000Laguna del Indio and Dique de los Españoles 4440 502Laguna de Salinas and adjacent peatbogs 4300 17,657

Salamanca peatbogs 2600-3290 192,520

Argentina

Bolivia

Chile

Colombia

Ecuador

Perú

Costa Rica

High andean Ramsar sites

In the northern limits of the paramo ecosystem

Table 1. List of Ramsar sites until July 2005

Vicuña (Vicugna vicugna)in Surire salt lake / Chile

1010

T

High andeanwetlands strategy

he alliance of eight countries, contracting parties to the Ram-sar convention, established an active process to design the

�Regional Strategy for the Conservation and Sustainable Use ofHigh Andean Wetlands�. This is a joint initiative resulting fromthe convention�s key points, instigated by a group of supportingorganisations making up the so-called Contact Group. This groupwas set up during the Pan-American Ramsar meeting in Guaya-quil in July 2002 (see table 2).

Ruta Cara del Indio / Venezuela

Paramo / Venezuela

1111

ArgentinaBoliviaColombiaChileEcuadorPerúVenezuelaCosta Rica

Wetlands Internacional

Birdlife Internacional

WWF

UICN

Contact group on high andean wetlands

Countries RamsarSecretariat

AssociatedOrganisations

Technicalnetwork

Senior Advisor forthe Americas

Ramsar RegionalCenter (CREHO)

InternationalWorking Group on

Paramos

High Andes FlamingoConservation Group

Table 2: Contact Group

The Contact Group defined the core issues as well as the basiccontent of the strategy. The group also created participativeopportunities for consultation in each country. Thestrategy has been enhanced and validated thanks tothese efforts, involving contributions from numerousgovernmental and non-government actors.

The strategy�s General Objective is topromote conservation and sustainable use ofhigh Andean wetlands by means of a long-term regional management process amongparticipating countries with the aim ofmaintaining goods and services provided bythe wetlands, in addition to reducing existingimpacts and threats.

The Specific Objectives are:1. To establish a joint vision of high Andean

wetlands by means of coordination mechanismsand regional capacity building.

2. To complete and improve scientific and technicalknowledge of high Andean wetlands and other functionally Salt extraction / Perú

1212

associated ecosystems in order to support their conservationand sustainable use.

3. To promote conservation, management and sustainable useof natural and cultural resources of high Andean wetlandsand associated goods and services.

4. To strengthen education and communication processes toachieve heightened public awareness of the importance andvalue of high Andean wetlands.

5. To coordinate wetland conservation policies among countriesof the region.

6. To design and implement a monitoring and evaluation systemfor the wetland strategy in order to guarantee its sustainabilityin the medium and long term.

The strategy�s guiding principles� Ecosystem approach� Sustainability

Laguna Miscanti / Chile

Las González river / Venezuela

1313

� Participation� Respect and recognition for cultural diversity� Integral vision� Precautionary principle

The high Andean wetlands strategy, more than a document,is a process which catalyses actions and promotes participation.It foments social and political appropriation and cooperationbetween all stakeholders. In fact, it is hoped that an increasingnumber of national and international government organisationsin addition to NGOs will join the initiative.

The strategy is a meeting point for different actors, agendasand interests, stimulating dialogue and cooperationamong authorities, indigenous organisations, thescientific community and the private sector.It is hoped, then, that the strategy will gobeyond the Ramsar Convention in orderfor links to be forged between otherinternational agreements, includingthe Convention on BiologicalDiversity, the Convention toCombat Desertification, and theClimate Change Convention,among others. At regional scale,it is also hoped that the strategywill be assimilated by differentopportunities for cooperation andintegration, and at national scale,that it will be coordinated withcountry-wide development plans,influencing local actions.

The strategy is based on existinginit iat ives related to the integralmanagement of paramos and punas, such

The strategy isa meetingpoint fordifferent

actors, agendasand interests

Cleaning journey in the paramo / Venezuela

1414

The strategy isaccompaniedby an Action

Plan a FinancialStrategy and a

ProjectPortfolio

as the consolidation of protected areas - including high Andeanwetlands; specific programmes for the conservation of threatenedspecies, such as Andean Flamingos; development of participativemanagement initiatives; development of emblematic ecotourismprojects such as in Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, among many others.The strategy attempts to promote the coordination of existinginitiatives, coordinate agendas which directly or indirectly affecthigh Andean wetlands, encourage alliances, carry out necessarycapacity building and proactively generate new actions whichdetain the degradation of fundamental ecosystem services.

The strategy is accompanied by an Action Plan (containingexpected results and activities), a Financial Strategy and a ProjectPortfolio. This clearly indicates the intention of making thisstrategy a practical instrument for the sustainable and socially-just management of these strategic ecosystems.

Turberas in Los Nevados National Natural Park / Colombia

1515

T

A living strategy for high andeanwetlands and human development

he Regional Strategy for the Conservation and SustainableUse of High Andean Wetlands is:

� An expanding process. Since the initial idea at the Pan-American Ramsar meeting (Ecuador 2002), the strategy hasincreased its scope and recognition both inside and outsidethe ambit of the Wetlands Convention.

� A collective design process. The setting up of an alliancebetween different governments and civi l societyorganisations, united by a shared interest in working for highAndean wetlands and combining complementary skills, hasbeen a fundamental part of this dynamic process.

� An action-planning process. The strategy�s action plan isalready up and running, the project portfolio includes thedevelopment of specific products by the Contact Group aswell as links to existing projects and initiatives being carriedout by governments and associated organisations.

Laguna Albarregas / Venezuela

Paramo / Venezuela

1616

� Synergetic. The strategy aims to cooperate with similarinitiatives at local, regional and international level.

� Integrated with development. The strategy projects highAndean wetland management according to national and re-gional development objectives. It also integrates the ecosystemconservation with human development as well as economicgrowth and competitiveness.

� Open and participative. At national, regional andinternational level, interested persons and organisations areinvited to contribute to the development of the strategy.

Salar Aguas Calientes / Chile

Otun lagoon, Los Nevados NationalNatural Park / Colombia

1717

T

Project portfolio to raisefunds and mobilise skills forthe strategy�s implementation

o implement the strategy, a �core� project portfolio wasestablished covering fundamental aspects of the Action Plan.

This portfolio includes the following projects:

1. Baseline environmental, social and economic studies ofhigh Andean wetlands in the north and south of theregion.Objective: Consolidate, update, value and systematisebiophysical and socioeconomic information on high Andeanwetlands for use in the development of planningandmanagement processes.

2. Identification of high Andean wetland areas as potentialRamsar sites or other conservation categories andmanagement plan development.

Frailejones in Los Patos lagoon / Venezuela

Los Patos lagoon / Venezuela

1818

Objective: Promote the conservation, management andsustainable use of strategic wetland areas in the regionthrough the definition of conservation status.

3. Establishment of a monitoring system for the environmentand development activities (tourism,mining, infrastructure,traditional uses, etc.) in high Andean wetlands.Objective: Develop a monitoring and evaluation mechanismfor high Andean wetlands which allows uniform monitoringto be carried out on environmental, social and economic va-riables providing continuous support for the adaptivemanagement of these ecosystems.

4. Guaranteeing water, guaranteeing the future:Communicating the Regional Strategy for the Conservationand Sustainable Use of High Andean Wetlands (Phase 1).Objective: Effectively communicate the Regional Strategy forthe Conservation and Sustainable Use of High AndeanWetlands to key authorities in order to contribute to thegeneration of favourable conditions for its implementation.

Furthermore, the following subregional projects are beingcarried out:

� Strategy for the conservation and designation of priority highAndean wetlands in the Northern Andes Ecoregional Complex(coordinated by WWF Colombia).

� High Andean wetlands network based on shared species(coordinated by the High Andes Flamingo ConservationGroup).

Laguna de Salinas / Perú

Arrebiatadas lagoon, National SanctuaryTabaconas - Namballe / Perú

1919

Other projects are also planned to meet the following actionpriorities, including:

� Strengthening of the high Andean wetland strategy�scoordination mechanism.

� Support for consolidating national action plans linked to theregional strategy for high Andean wetlands.

� Coordination of political and legislative instruments for thesustainable management of high Andean wetlands.

� Adapting tools in order to apply the ecosystem approach tothe management of high Andean wetlands.

� Capacity building project for biodiversity conservation in highAndean wetlands.

� Development of integrated water management instrumentsin high Andean wetlands.

� Recuperation of socio-cultural values in high Andeanwetlands.

� Ecosystem services management in high Andean wetlandsfrom a perspective of social equality and poverty alleviation.

� Training for social and environmental monitoring of highAndean wetlands.

� Valuation of ecosystem goods and services provided by highAndean wetlands.

Organisations interested in providing funding and/orinstitutional skills to develop the strategy�s portfolio are welcomed.

Organisationsinterested inproviding

funding and/orinstitutional

skills to developthe strategy�sportfolio arewelcomed

Los Puentes / Venezuela

� Secretariado de la Convención Ramsar. -MARGARITA ASTRÁLAGA (astralaga@ramsar.org)SWITZERLAND

CONTACTGROUP

� BirdLife International. -EUGENIO COCONIER (coconier@avesargentinas@org.ar)� Grupo de Flamencos Altoandinos. -PATRICIA MARCONI (fund_yuchan@ciudad.com.ar)� Sección de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sustentable. -ÓSCAR PADÍN (opadin@medioambiente.gov.ar)-SARA SVERLIJ (ssverlij@medioambiente.gov.ar)

� Wetlands International. -DANIEL BLANCO (dblanco@wamani.apc.org)

ARGENTINA

CHILE� CONAF. -JUAN PABLO CONTRERAS (jcontrer@conaf.cl) -GUILLERMO CISTERNAS (cistern@conaf.cl)-CÉSAR CARDOZO (ccardozo@conaf.cl)

COLOMBIA� Ministerio de Ambiente, Vivienda y Desarrollo Territorial. -MARÍA RIVERA (mrivera@minambiente.gov.co)� WWF Colombia. -XIMENA BARRERA (xbarrera@wwf.org.co) -LUIS GERMÁN NARANJO (lgnaranjo@wwf.org.co)

COSTA RICA� SINAC/MINAE. -MARCO VINICIO ARAYA (marco.araya@sinac.go.cr)

ECUADOR� Ministerio del Ambiente. -SERGIO LASSO (slasso@ambiente.gov.ec)� Grupo Internacional de Páramos. -XIOMARA IZURIETA (xiomara@paramo.org)� UICN. -EDUARDO GUERRERO (eduardo.guerrero@sur.iucn.org)

PANAMÁ� Centro Regional Ramsar (CREHO). -ROSA MONTAÑEZ (Rmontanez@cathalac.org)

PERÚ� INRENA. -ARTURO CORNEJO (rn-salinasyadaguablanca@inrena.gob.pe)

VENEZUELA� MARN. -FEDERICO BARROSO (fbarroso@marn.gov.ve)

� Ministerio de Desarrollo Sostenible. -EDWIN CAMACHO (ecamacho@mds.gov.bo)-OMAR ROCHA (orocha@entelnet.bo)

BOLIVIA