A Wetland Podcast

Policy, Practice, People interview Wetland City Accreditation with María Angélica Mejía https://www.linkedin.com/in/biodivercities/ Wetland Cities Accreditation homepage https://www.ramsar.org/our-work/activities/wetland-city-accreditation Wetland Cities Network https://wetlandcity.org Thank you María! Apolinar's Wren field recordings by: Manuel Sánchez-Nivicela and Felipe Velasco on Xeno-Canto.org. https://xeno-canto.org/1152018 https://xeno-canto.org/571626 Many thanks to you both. Water Margin Waders: Prairie Water Stories by Dominique Ferraton. Financial support from SK Arts. Listen to the series as it comes out on https://www.dominiqueferraton.ca/waders.html New items CBD https://sdg.iisd.org/events/2026-un-biodiversity-conference-cbd-cop-17/ https://www.cbd.int/conferences/2026/parallel-meetings/gbf-pavilion-water-and-biodiversity UNEP, FAO, SCBD Restoration Report https://www.unep.org/en/news-and-stories/story/un-report-shows-nature-being-restored-unprecedented-scale The IUCN Red List of Ecosystems Coral reef threat https://iucn.org/press-release/202610/virtually-all-coral-reef-ecosystems-face-high-risk-collapse-50-years-iucn-red Nairobi Flyways Declaration https://www.birdlife.org/the-nairobi-flyways-declaration/ IKI grants open Medium grants https://www.international-climate-initiative.com/en/find-funding/medium-grants/medium-grants-2026/ Large grants https://www.international-climate-initiative.com/en/find-funding/large-grants/large-grants-2026/ Benson Mogaka RIP https://lnkd.in/p/ek8iWqvg Signposts. Longer and feature items, not in the podcast. WaterLANDS mountain wetland restoration https://ireland.representation.ec.europa.eu/bencroy-mountain-wetland-restoration_en EU Water Framework Directive being bypassed for 'strategic projects' https://mailchi.mp/7e5f9e8e2261/eeb-speaks-to-eu-agriculture-ministers-5757663?e=8352acb7c9 The Caspian Sea has been shrinking for decades. Now, a new island has emerged https://www.euronews.com/2026/10/07/the-caspian-sea-has-been-shrinking-for-decades-now-a-new-island-has-emerged UK & Ireland, State of Our Rivers report https://theriverstrust.org/state-of-our-rivers Observing Coastal Life: Notes from a Field Researcher's Diary https://mssrf.org/stories-of-change/observing-coastal-life-notes-field-researchers-diary Bright spots in peatland conservation, rewetting, and restoration https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13280-026-02433-8 On the International Day of the Girl Child, a South African social scientist looks back on her journey as a champion of water and inclusion https://www.iwmi.org/news/dear-younger-me/ A Wetland Podcast is produced as a personal project by Connor Walsh, not reflecting any employers. Find out more on https://www.patreon.com/c/Awetlandpodcast or email AWetlandPodcast@Proton.me.

A Wetland Podcast for September 2026. Links to general update stories Convention on Wetlands Scientific and Technical Review Panel: https://www.ramsar.org/meeting/29th-meeting-scientific-technical-review-panel Women Change Makers: https://www.ramsar.org/news/call-nominations-women-changemakers-world-wetlands UN Water Conference: https://www.unwaterconferenceuae.com/en Wetlands @ Risk https://europe.wetlands.org/wetlands-risk-home/ Eswatini AEWA MOP: https://www.unep-aewa.org/news/eswatini-host-aewa-mop10-2028 Sabangau peat fires: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyqw44w142o https://borneonaturefoundation.org/firefighting-and-prevention/the-connected-nature-of-wildfires/ European Peatland Initiative: https://europeanpeatlandsinitiative.com/news/ Power to the Peatlands conference : https://sites.google.com/view/power2peatlands2026/networking-dinners The Water Margin this month again comes from Aporee.org, where Tomáš Šenkyřík shared this South Moravian dawn chorus: https://archive.org/details/aporee_69216_80390 Signposts Why Are Rivers So Mathematical? https://www.quantamagazine.org/why-are-rivers-so-mathematical-20260810/ (Quanta) How greed is turning Spain into a desert https://youtu.be/y8tAx-itHUc?si=hh25JCP_grcmaHS5 (DW) ‘Wonderfully Swiss, slightly mad’: This IT guy swims to work while cleaning Zürich’s waterways https://www.euronews.com/2026/09/05/wonderfully-swiss-slightly-mad-this-it-guy-swims-to-work-while-cleaning-zurichs-waterways (Euronews) As catches dwindle, Congo River fishermen turn to plastic waste https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20260913-as-fish-catches-dwindle-congo-river-fishermen-turn-to-plastic (RFI) “Zimbabwe should establish environmental courts to save wetlands” https://enviropresszim.com/zimbabwe-should-establish-environmental-courts-to-save-wetlands/ (EnviroPress) July-August 2026 Research Journal Roundup https://www.iwmi.org/news/july-august-2026-research-journal-roundup/ (IWMI) My name is Connor Walsh, I produce A Wetland Podcast as a personal project, not representing any employers. The web presence is all free on Patreon.com/AwetlandPodcast, and you can email AWetlandPodcast@proton.me.

UNCCD COP17 Water Day: https://enb.iisd.org/convention-combat-desertification-unccd-cop17-daily-report-25aug2026 and https://www.unccd.int/media/52275/open Drought Resilience Investment Facility: https://www.unccd.int/news-stories/press-releases/cop17-launches-drif-first-global-finance-instrument-drought-resilience Drought decision postponed: https://enb.iisd.org/convention-combat-desertification-unccd-cop17-28Aug2026 and https://www.wetlands.org/zero-progess-on-combating-drought-at-cop17/ World Water Week https://www.worldwaterweek.org The System Change Lab Freshwater Lab: https://systemschangelab.org/freshwater and https://www.wri.org/update/global-freshwater-assessment-finds-action-failing EAAFP giving away Song Meter and bird GNSS tags: https://eaaflyway.org/song-meter/ and https://eaaflyway.org/satellite-tracker/ GHG figures for floating wetland in a wastewater lagoon: https://www.rmit.edu.au/news/all-news/2026/aug/floating-wetland-study and https://www.rmit.edu.au/research/impact/floating-wetlands-to-reduce-greenhouse-gas-emission-in-wastewater-lagoons Water Margin Chippewa island move, as introduced by VT Physics to her 2.1 million followers. See her video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-fHIQFiFaI&list=LL&index=1 Drone footage of the island move: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2AG6LAOBYo This week another island appeared and disappeared, on remote sensing as well as distant views, in Western Canada: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/floating-island-williston-lake-bc-9.7324586 Signposts, some interesting visual wetland reporting from elsewhere, not in the podcast Mangrove photography awards https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2026/jul/24/mangrove-photography-awards-2026-in-pictures Indigenous knowledge indicates a wetland lost to the sea and an ancient cave home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqXsV9t7IDU Most of the Maldives may be unliveable in 50 years – but these kayaking islanders aren't giving up https://www.euronews.com/2026/08/10/most-of-the-maldives-may-be-unliveable-in-50-years-but-these-kayaking-islanders-arent-givi I produce A Wetland Podcast as a personal project, not reflecting any employers. Email me about it, AwetlandPodcast@proton.me, find out more for free on Patreon.com/awetlandpodcast.

No feature interview on Policy, Practice, or People this time, but that will return! Thank you this month to Hyeseon Do, Seong-oh Suh, and Seongbo Kim for their contributions. News items: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/eaaf-eaafp-unesco-ugcPost-7487107863614717952-J7j4/ https://www.unesco.org/en/world-heritage/committee-2026 https://www.linkedin.com/company/unesco/posts/?feedView=all Wildfire at Ghar el Melh www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/7/26/heatwave-drives-major-wildfires-across-north-africa#flips-6402178802112:0 . https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/tunisia-contains-forest-fire-in-bizerte-after-16-hour-battle/4006029 Flooding at Valdivia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0Y0ZAh07kI Red Alert available https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mediterranean-alliance-for-wetlands_the-red-alert-system-mediterranean-alliance-activity-7480233760945537024-76jU N'Djamena Declaration https://www.worldbank.org/en/events/2026/07/15/african-water-forum-from-vision-to-action Wetland greenhouse gas primer https://www.cell.com/one-earth/fulltext/S2590-3322(26)00144-2 Global Mangrove https://www.linkedin.com/posts/wetlands-international_worldmangroveday-activity-7485717840512135169-2Ynw Green Water Africa https://letstalkaboutwater.org/green-water-africa-short-film-competition/ Sukundimi Walks Before Me https://docedge.nz/events/sukundimi-walks-before-me/ https://www.sff.org.au/program/event/sukundimi-walks-before-me/ Ramsar Day with the Kia Tigers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VvbBx4jEv0 Ramsar Regional Centre – East Asia http://rrcea.org/ Find out more about A Wetland Podcast https://www.patreon.com/Awetlandpodcast or email WetlandPodcast@proton.me

People and wetlands: Love a Tree Foundation in Sri Lanka is an exemplar of a people-first wetland charity. Thank you to educator Narmadha Dangampola and Founder Madhu Dissanayake for their time. Find out more: https://loveatreefoundation.org/ General updates Mona Khalil killed https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mark-j-spalding_monakhalil-orangehouseproject-seaturtles-share-7474140018408701952-wXgp/ https://www.spnl.org/mona-khalil-a-guardian-of-sea-turtles-a-defender-of-hima-and-a-friend-we-will-never-forget/ https://www.facebook.com/greensoutherners/posts/pfbid0Sr3cP6ox7pJqjAfKpa8MR95C7tZCvANi5p8CsbhAApFpeEFhFw4Zs9Ko53hd8gSjl Atlantic Africa intersectional toolkit https://www.international-climate-initiative.com/en/iki-media/publication/toward-a-gender-responsive-creaf-project-a-toolkit-for-project-activities-new6a33f355dd07f837753671/ Bits 'n' peatlands EU https://www.linkedin.com/posts/alfawetlands_restorationforfuture-horizoneurope-peatlands-activity-7474849217765896192-SY_t Ireland https://courthousenews.com/irelands-turf-cutting-tradition-singled-out-as-flouting-nature-law/ & https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/24/documenting-irelands-vanishing-boglands-they-hold-millennia-in-their-layers & https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dr-musonda-mumba-aa09611_ramsar-wetlandswednesday-peatlandsmatter-ugcPost-7475626905988374534-cOhQ/ Global Peatlands Initiative https://peatlands.org/event/global-peatlands-initiative-4th-partners-meeting/ Youth engagement in WASH innovation https://knowledge.unicef.org/wash/resource/youth-engagement-wash-innovation-ecosystems-insights-pathways-participation-influence Jai Prakash Narayan Bird Sanctuary https://www.ramsar.org/news/thats-century-india-names-its-100th-wetland-international-importance Save the Waves film festival: https://www.savethewaves.org/filmfest/?gf_protect_submission=1#gf_1 Water Margin Matías Muñoz recorded this Elachistocleis panamensis and Túngara frog Engystomops pustulosus on Barro Colorado Island in Panama three years ago. I found it on the splendid Xeno Canto. https://xeno-canto.org/1012400

What is happening to wetlands in Trump's America? Professor Royal C. Gardner tells us. VIsit Koforidua, Apenkwa, Ghana, and meet Samuel Kudjodzi. Plus wetland news (links below). Apologies that every voice in this episode is male – I'll try not to let that happen again. A Wetland Podcast is a personal project not reflecting any employer. More: https://www.patreon.com/Awetlandpodcast Updates Standing Committee of the Convention on Wetlands: https://www.ramsar.org/meeting/67th-meeting-standing-committee Youth engagement paper: https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.70302 and https://relationalthinkingblog.com/2026/03/20/plain-language-summary-youth-networks-are-key-but-overlooked-actors-in-environmental-governance/ OECM Platform: https://www.oecm.info/ https://www.linkedin.com/posts/harry-jonas_oecm-platform-ugcPost-7450489981338341377-VJkI? Whitley Awards: https://whitleyaward.org/awards/ World Migratory Bird Day: https://www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/#2026 World Saltmarsh Day: https://www.wwt.org.uk/discover-wetlands/world-saltmarsh-day People, Police, or Practice Professor Royal C Gardner: https://www.stetson.edu/law/faculty/home/royal-gardner.php List of MEAs the USA left in January 2026 https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/01/withdrawing-the-united-states-from-international-organizations-conventions-and-treaties-that-are-contrary-to-the-interests-of-the-united-states/ More on his book: https://mavensnotebook.com/2026/05/15/author-interview-royal-gardner-waters-of-the-united-states-potus-scotus-wotus-and-the-politics-of-a-national-resource/ Water Margin Meet Samuel Kudjodzi https://earth.fm/recording-expeditions/the-centre-for-soundscape-ecology-multimedia-training-program-ghana/ https://www.instagram.com/csem_official/ And hear more of the recordings: https://aporee.org/maps/?what=wetland&limitBounds=on&fromYear=2025&fromMonth=04&fromDay=30&toYear=2026&toMonth=04&toDay=30&fromHour=00&fromMin=00&toHour=00&toMin=00 Other stories you might have missed Chennai reservoir plans spark protests, warnings: https://www.dw.com/en/chennai-reservoir-plans-spark-protests-and-warnings/video-76914064 WaterNSW criticised for ‘appalling’ decision after hundreds of turtles left to die in wetlands: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/21/water-nsw-criticised-for-appalling-decision-after-hundreds-of-turtles-left-to-die-in-wetlands Volunteers work to save eels trapped in mud of dried-up Pukepuke Lagoon: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/top/592456/volunteers-work-to-save-eels-trapped-in-mud-of-dried-up-pukepuke-lagoon eNGOs being squeezed in Brussels: https://reporterre.net/C-est-une-chasse-aux-sorcieres-la-droite-europeenne-veut-reduire-au-silence-les-ONG Drought drives elevated antibiotic resistance across soils: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-026-02274-x.epdf Multiple development banks launch 'Water Forward' initiative: https://live.worldbank.org/en/event/2026/spring-meetings-water-forward

Plus wetland updates for April 2026. Jennifer George is the Chief Executive of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP). She talks about partnership, honouring your past, diverse voices, and memorable experiences. Find out more about EAAFP: https://eaaflyway.org Huge thanks to Jennifer George and Minjae Baek at the EAAFP Secretariat. The Water Margin is a boardwalk over the Sanya River in Hainan, China, in 2017. A Wetland Podcast is a personal project by Connor Walsh, not reflecting any employers. Find out more on https://www.patreon.com/Awetlandpodcast including links to the news stories discussed.