Wetlands of International Importance

The Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

The convention has been signed by 160 countries, with more than 2,000 designated wetland sites, including more than 30 in the United States.

Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance on National Wildlife Refuges

Name of Ramsar Site	State	Refuge Lands in the Site	Significance
Upper Mississippi Floodplain Wetlands	Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa,Illinois	Upper Mississippi River Natl Wildlife and Fish Refuge, Trempealeau Natl Wildlife Refuge	One of the most important corridors of fish and wildlife habitat in central U.S.; supports large populations of more than 100 native fish species
Humbug Marsh	Michigan	Detroit River Intl Wildlife Refuge	Last stretch of natural shoreline on the U.S. mainland connecting lower and upper Great Lakes
Roswell Artesian Wetlands	New Mexico	Bitter Lake Natl Wildlife Refuge	Springs, seeps and sinkhole lakes along the Pecos River; supports diverse plants and animals including several endemic species
Palmyra Atoll Natl Wildlife Refuge	Hawaii	Palmyra Atoll Refuge	Coral reefs, permanent shallow marine waters, intertidal forested wetlands. Important feeding and nesting site for seabirds. Third largest colony of red-footed booby in the world.
Catahoula Lake	Louisiana	Catahoula Natl Wildlife Refuge	Unique example of a lower Mississippi wetland community; the most important inland wetland for waterbirds and shorebirds in Louisiana.
Cache River - Cypress Creek Wetlands	Arkansas	Cache River and Cypress Creek Natl Wildlife Refuges	Convergence of four prominent physiographic provinces, unusually varied species in close proximity,major importance to waterfowl, diverse neotropical migrant birds.
Sand Lake Natl Wildlife Refuge	South Dakota	Sand Lake Natl Wildlife Refuge	Large freshwater cattail marsh, critical nesting/staging habitat for many bird species, hosts almost 50% of North America's population and world's largest nesting colony of Larus pipixcan.
Izembek Lagoon Natl Wildlife Refuge	Alaska	Izembek Natl Wildlife Refuge	Coastal lagoons, marshes, tundra plain; critically impt for migratory birds - staging for almost entire world population of black brant geese
Edwin B. Forsythe Natl Wildlife Refuge	New Jersey	Edwin B. Forsythe Natl Wildlife Refuge	Designated wilderness area; rich in invertebrates. Saltmarshes and mudflats important for wintering ducks, geese, swans.
Okefenokee Natl Wildlife Refuge	Georgia	Okefenokee Natl Wildlife Refuge	Designated wilderness area; swamp forest; second largest wetland complext in the US. Extensive drainage basin on the divide between Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Public education and recreation.
Ash Meadows Natl Wildlife Refuge	Nevada	Ash Meadows Natl Wildlife Refuge	Unique ecosystem (desert oasis). Springs supply a tributary of Amargosa River. Great biological endemism - 4 speciesof endangered endemic fish and endemic acquatic insect.
Cache River-Lower White Rivers	Arkansas	Cache River Natl Wildlife Refuge	Largest continuous expanse of bottomland hardwoods in Lower Mississippi Valley; wintering waterbirds, game and fur-bearing mammals. Important for recreation, research, education.
Horicon Marsh	Wisconsin	Horicon Natl Wildlife Refuge	One of largest intact freshwater marshes in U.S. Staging area for 80% of Mississippi flyway population of Canada geese; three ecological zones (marsh, pothole wetlands, shallow lakes)
Chesapeake Bay Estuarine Complex	Virginia/Maryland	Eastern Neck, Blackwater, Martin, Mason Neck, Presquile Natl Wildlife Refuges	Outstanding example of large estuarine complex. Public education. Fisheries values. Waterfowl use and diversity.
Pelican Island Natl Wildlife Refuge	Florida	Pelican Island Natl Wildlife Refuge	Designated wilderness. National Historic Landmark. Climate overlap between temperate and tropical, supporting plants and animals from both zones. Mix of salt and fresh water - high biological diversity. Lagoonal waters of Indian River impt as nursery for juvenile endangered marine turtles.
Delaware Bay Estuary System	Delaware	Bombay Hook, Prime Hook, Supawna Meadows Natl Wildlife Refuges	Ecological transition zone with more than 70 separate protected wetland areas of varying salinity. Stging area for more than 90% N. American population of several migratory bird species
Quivira Natl Wildlife Refuge	Kansas	Quivira National Wildlife Refuge	Rare inland salt marsh mixed with grass prairie and agricultural fields. Critical nesting, migrating, wintering habitat for more than 311 bird species. Many endangered and threatened species, including peregrine falcon, whooping crane, interior least tern and piping plover.
Grassland Ecological Area	California	Grasslands Wildlife Management Area	Largest remaining contiguous block of freshwater wetlands in California - marsh, riparian corridors, vernal pool complexes, wet meadows, native uplands. Several hundred thousand wintering waterbirds
Tijuana River Natl Estuarine Research Reserve	California	Tijuana River Natl Wildlife Refuge	One of few unfragmented estuaries and coastal lagoons in southern California; sensitive habitats - sand dunes, vernal pools, mudflats, tidal channels. Critical habitat for nationally endangered species