Assam Urges Ramsar Tag For Rowmari–Donduwa Wetlands As Experts Rally For Protection

A chorus of scientists, birdwatchers and local activists met this week to press for international recognition of the Rowmari–Donduwa wetland complex in Assam — a move they say is essential to secure legal, technical and funding support to protect an ecosystem that sustains people and wildlife alike. If successful, the designation would mark only Assam’s second Ramsar listing and amplify national and global attention on the state’s embattled wetlands.

About Rowmari–Donduwa Wetland

Rowmari–Donduwa lies in central Assam and comprises a mosaic of marshes, seasonally flooded grasslands and riverine channels that support dense birdlife, fish populations and local livelihoods. Field researchers at a recent workshop in Nagaon highlighted the site’s role as a stopover and wintering ground for migratory waterbirds and as a nursery and feeding habitat for several fish species— features that map neatly onto the Ramsar Convention’s criteria for Wetlands of International Importance.

Why Experts Want Ramsar Protection

Designation proponents argue the complex performs three critical functions: biodiversity support (including threatened and migratory birds), hydrological services (flood attenuation and groundwater recharge) and socio-economic benefits for nearby communities reliant on fisheries and seasonal agriculture. Those services, they say, are under increasing pressure from land-use change, siltation, and encroachment— threats the Ramsar tag would help address via international best practice, monitoring and access to conservation resources.

What A Ramsar Tag Means And How A Place Qualifies

The Ramsar Convention, signed in 1971, recognises wetlands that are “of international importance” based on nine scientific criteria—from containing rare wetland types to regularly supporting 20,000 waterbirds or 1 per cent of a species’ population. At least one criterion must be satisfied at the time of designation. Besides symbolic recognition, Ramsar listing obliges the contracting party to promote the “wise use” of the site, prepare management plans and report on ecological changes—opening pathways to technical assistance and stronger national oversight.

India’s Ramsar record has been expanding: the country has been steadily adding wetlands to the list in recent years, with recent tallies cited at over 90 sites nationally. Advocates say adding Rowmari–Donduwa would strengthen the eastern Himalayan region’s network of protected wetlands and help plug conservation gaps in Assam.

Assam’s Wetlands: A Rich But Under-Recognised Network

Assam is reputed to host thousands of wetlands—estimates cited in coverage put the number at over 3,000—yet the state so far has just one Ramsar site: Deepor Beel, designated in 2002. Conservationists at the Nagaon meeting argued this imbalance reflects both bureaucratic inertia and the need for more systematic documentation of wetland values across the Brahmaputra floodplain. A Ramsar designation for Rowmari–Donduwa, they add, would not just be prestige — it would create obligations and resources to manage pressures such as encroachment, pollution, and infrastructure projects.

Recent surveys underline the ecological importance of the Rowmari–Donduwa wetland complex, which recorded over 47,000 waterbirds from 75–107 species in the latest Kaziranga and Assam Bird Monitoring Network counts— figures that easily meet the Ramsar threshold of 20,000 waterbirds. Key threatened species such as the Lesser Adjutant, Black-necked Stork, Ferruginous Pochard and Knob-billed Duck were documented, highlighting the site’s role as critical habitat for vulnerable and migratory birds. Complementary studies indicate the wetlands also harbour around 48 fish species, supporting both ecological diversity and local livelihoods through fisheries. Together, these findings reinforce the scientific case for granting Rowmari–Donduwa Ramsar status, emphasising its biodiversity value and the urgent need for sustainable management.

Deepor Beel itself has in recent years drawn judicial scrutiny over degradation linked to landfill runoff and illegal filling, a cautionary tale for Assam’s wetland management: national protections without effective, local enforcement can still leave internationally recognised wetlands vulnerable. Campaigners say that learning from Deepor Beel’s challenges should shape how Rowmari–Donduwa is nominated and managed.

The Path Ahead: Science, Stakeholders, And Politics

Turning the call into a Ramsar listing will require coordinated steps: a robust site dossier demonstrating which Ramsar criteria the wetland meets, baseline ecological surveys (birds, fish, vegetation, and hydrology), a stakeholder-backed management plan, and formal submission through India’s designated Ramsar administrative mechanism. Local communities, state wetland authorities, NGOs and central ministries typically collaborate on such nominations, but campaigners stress that transparent participation and benefit-sharing with villagers are critical to long-term success.

Experts at the workshop urged rapid but careful action: complete species inventories (to show if the site supports threshold numbers of migratory birds), map wetland functions for flood control and fisheries, and document threats with satellite imagery and community testimony. Backers note that Ramsar status does not automatically prevent development, but it does raise the bar for environmental assessment and can unlock international technical support— a pragmatic tool for a region confronting climate-driven hydrological change.

As India’s national tally of Ramsar sites continues to climb and global attention on wetlands grows, the Rowmari–Donduwa campaign captures a larger conservation debate: how to marry local livelihoods with safeguards for ecosystems that cross political boundaries and calendar years. For Assam, a land shaped by rivers and seasonal water, the question is whether scientific urgency and civic pressure can translate into the legal and managerial muscle a Ramsar tag promises. If they do, Rowmari–Donduwa could emerge as a model for protecting the Brahmaputra’s watery heartlands.

FAQs

1. What is the Ramsar Convention and why is it important?
The Ramsar Convention, signed in 1971, is an international treaty that recognizes and protects wetlands of global ecological importance, promoting their “wise use” and conservation.

2. How does a wetland qualify for Ramsar status?
A site must meet at least one of nine scientific criteria — such as supporting rare species, large waterbird populations, or critical hydrological functions — to qualify as a Ramsar site.

3. How many Ramsar sites are there in India?
As of 2025, India has over 90 Ramsar sites, covering a range of ecosystems from mangroves and lakes to floodplains and coastal lagoons.

4. Why is the Rowmari–Donduwa wetland important?
Located in central Assam, Rowmari–Donduwa supports over 47,000 migratory waterbirds, 48 fish species, and acts as a natural buffer against floods—making it vital for both ecology and local livelihoods.

5. What are the benefits of Ramsar designation for Assam?
Ramsar status brings international recognition, access to conservation funding, technical assistance, and stricter oversight to safeguard Assam’s fragile wetland ecosystems.