This section includes a selection of resources that are relevant and complementary to the suite of manuals on Inventory, Monitoring and Assessment of Mediterranean Wetlands.
Readers are strongly encouraged to combine and supplement the use of the manuals with the following three MedWet publications:
- Mediterranean Wetland Inventory: A Reference Manual (Costa et al, 1996), which provides a thorough presentation of the inventory process and gives useful guidance and advices to users who are going to organize a wetland inventory project.
- MedWet Habitat Description System (Farinha et al, 2005), which provides detailed description of the classification system proposed for habitat mapping.
- Photointerpretation and Cartographic Conventions (Zalidis et al, 1996). This manual is now replaced by the manual for Mapping Wetlands Using Earth Observation Techniques which is included in the new MedWet series. However, users are advised to use it for guidance relating to the conventions that need to be followed in cartography.
It is noted that the earlier version of the manual titled Mediterranean Wetlands inventory: Data Recording (Hecker et al, 1996) is fully replaced by the new MedWet series and therefore is not included under this list.
Readers of the series are also encouraged to consult the following MedWet publications which are of considerable appreciation and can complement user’s knowledge and experience on the subject:
- Monitoring Mediterranean Wetlands - A Methodological Guide (Tomàs-Vives, 1996)
- Status of Wetland Inventories in the Mediterranean Region, version 2 (Caessteker P and Tomàs-Vives P, 2007).
Users are also advised to read the 12th Ramsar Handbook “Wetland Inventory: A Ramsar framework for wetland inventory” (Ramsar Convention Secretariat, 2007). The Ramsar Convention places emphasis on the importance of wetland inventory as one of the basic tools for the conservation and wise use of wetlands (Resolution IX.1). This handbook provides guidance on a standard approach to designing a wetland inventory program including information on determining appropriate remote sensing techniques to apply, wetland classifications and existing standardised inventory methods including the one developed by MedWet, and recommends standards for core data fields and data and metadata recording. It can be accessed at: ramsar.org/lib/lib_handbooks2006_e.htm.
Moreover, users are encouraged to participate in training programmes that are being organized on the use of the new MedWet system including the Ramsar framework for wetland inventory.