489
System. Using baseline information from infrared
orthophotographs and digitised hydrology and
military maps (scale 1:25,000), attribute data
were stored in the MedWet Database. The
approach was to (a) compile all available information on each map, (b) disseminate the preliminary report on the website of the project and
amongst relevant agencies to validate data, (c)
incorporate comments and fi nalise the report and
(d) update the inventory after 10 years. However,
Farinha and Trindade (1994) offered the most
recent information on the status of Portuguese
wetlands. This work was a preliminary approach
to wetland inventory and characterisation in
Portugal. This publication listed the main national
wetlands based on the average number of individuals of Anatidae, waders and coot occurring
during the period 1989–1992 (Portuguese
Ramsar National Report 1998).
22.15.2 History of Wetland
Inventories in Portugal
Farinha and Trindade (1994) had discussed
wetland inventory initiatives in Portugal. The
fi rst approach was carried out by Margarida
Borges de Carvalho in 1975 and consisted in
sending questionnaires to all municipalities of
the country. However, data received had proved
to be insuffi cient to establish a NWI. After this
exercise, some other sporadic attempts or projects had facilitated assessment of some important wetland sites in Portugal. In 1976, CEMPA
cooperated with IWRB in implementing the
waterbird censuses, and a fi rst assessment was
presented in a symposium held in Huelva,
Spain, in 1992. Regedor (1988) identifi ed
complexes of wetlands in the western and
southern coasts of Portugal and covered 44
Ramsar wetland.
22.15.3 Wetland Loss
There is the impression that natural wetland sites,
mainly in the coastal area, are under severe threat.
However, no quantifi ed data were found on wetland loss in Portugal, except in some regional
(i.e. subnational) studies. Pullan (1988) presented
a study of wetland loss in western Algarve. He
had estimated that wetlands in western Algarve
originally covered about 8,000 ha, and that this
decreased to only about 2,500 ha in 1988, which
is equivalent to a loss of about 70 % (i.e.
5,500 ha). With very few exceptions, all freshwater fl oodplain and basin wetlands have been
drained and are now cultivated. These areas may
be irrigated, but the wetland character of the habitats has been almost completely lost (Pullan
1988). Wetland types considered in the studies
were estuaries, salt marshes, tapadas (dyked
estuarine fl ats), irrigated ricefi elds, abandoned
ricefi elds and wet pastures.
22.15.4 CORINE Biotopes
In 1985, Portugal commenced identifying sites
for the CORINE Biotopes network at the national
level. About 202 sites of interest for nature conservation were identifi ed and described with the
help of the CORINE data sheets (SNPRCN 1992).
Of those, 95 (i.e. 47 %) were wetlands. Further,
the International Waterbird Census database
included a large number of Portuguese wetlands.
In total, 125 sites had, probably, been taken into
consideration (Hecker and Tomàs Vives 1995).
22.16 European Peatlands
Gorham ( 1991 ) had estimated that there are c
3.46 million km
2 of northern boreal and subarctic
peatlands. This is, perhaps, well over half of the
world’s wetland resources. A good portion of
these peatlands is found in the Old World. Here,
the peatlands spread across a signifi cant portion
of Ireland, Scandinavia, Finland, northern Russia
and many of the countries of former Soviet
Republic.
Summary
1. Europe is rich in wetlands. In a holistic view,
there are large number of signifi cant wetlands around the world which are not formed
as coastal deltas but as inland deltas or
coastal marshes along the large bodies of
22.16 European Peatlands
System. Using baseline information from infrared
orthophotographs and digitised hydrology and
military maps (scale 1:25,000), attribute data
were stored in the MedWet Database. The
approach was to (a) compile all available information on each map, (b) disseminate the preliminary report on the website of the project and
amongst relevant agencies to validate data, (c)
incorporate comments and fi nalise the report and
(d) update the inventory after 10 years. However,
Farinha and Trindade (1994) offered the most
recent information on the status of Portuguese
wetlands. This work was a preliminary approach
to wetland inventory and characterisation in
Portugal. This publication listed the main national
wetlands based on the average number of individuals of Anatidae, waders and coot occurring
during the period 1989–1992 (Portuguese
Ramsar National Report 1998).
22.15.2 History of Wetland
Inventories in Portugal
Farinha and Trindade (1994) had discussed
wetland inventory initiatives in Portugal. The
fi rst approach was carried out by Margarida
Borges de Carvalho in 1975 and consisted in
sending questionnaires to all municipalities of
the country. However, data received had proved
to be insuffi cient to establish a NWI. After this
exercise, some other sporadic attempts or projects had facilitated assessment of some important wetland sites in Portugal. In 1976, CEMPA
cooperated with IWRB in implementing the
waterbird censuses, and a fi rst assessment was
presented in a symposium held in Huelva,
Spain, in 1992. Regedor (1988) identifi ed
complexes of wetlands in the western and
southern coasts of Portugal and covered 44
Ramsar wetland.
22.15.3 Wetland Loss
There is the impression that natural wetland sites,
mainly in the coastal area, are under severe threat.
However, no quantifi ed data were found on wetland loss in Portugal, except in some regional
(i.e. subnational) studies. Pullan (1988) presented
a study of wetland loss in western Algarve. He
had estimated that wetlands in western Algarve
originally covered about 8,000 ha, and that this
decreased to only about 2,500 ha in 1988, which
is equivalent to a loss of about 70 % (i.e.
5,500 ha). With very few exceptions, all freshwater fl oodplain and basin wetlands have been
drained and are now cultivated. These areas may
be irrigated, but the wetland character of the habitats has been almost completely lost (Pullan
1988). Wetland types considered in the studies
were estuaries, salt marshes, tapadas (dyked
estuarine fl ats), irrigated ricefi elds, abandoned
ricefi elds and wet pastures.
22.15.4 CORINE Biotopes
In 1985, Portugal commenced identifying sites
for the CORINE Biotopes network at the national
level. About 202 sites of interest for nature conservation were identifi ed and described with the
help of the CORINE data sheets (SNPRCN 1992).
Of those, 95 (i.e. 47 %) were wetlands. Further,
the International Waterbird Census database
included a large number of Portuguese wetlands.
In total, 125 sites had, probably, been taken into
consideration (Hecker and Tomàs Vives 1995).
22.16 European Peatlands
Gorham ( 1991 ) had estimated that there are c
3.46 million km
2 of northern boreal and subarctic
peatlands. This is, perhaps, well over half of the
world’s wetland resources. A good portion of
these peatlands is found in the Old World. Here,
the peatlands spread across a signifi cant portion
of Ireland, Scandinavia, Finland, northern Russia
and many of the countries of former Soviet
Republic.
Summary
1. Europe is rich in wetlands. In a holistic view,
there are large number of signifi cant wetlands around the world which are not formed
as coastal deltas but as inland deltas or
coastal marshes along the large bodies of
22.16 European Peatlands