International Peer Review of the Okavango Delta Management Plan

Peter Bauer-Gottwein (PBG), Rudolf de Groot (RDG) and Max Finlayson (MF) propose to perform an international peer review of the Okavango Delta Management Plan (ODMP) along the lines of the terms of reference issued by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Government of Botswana. The review will be completed by November 30th, 2007 and will be delivered to the DEA in electronic form.

The three experts will share the review work according to their respective expertise.
• PBG has done research on the Okavango Delta for 4 years (co-funded by the Department of Water Affairs, Government of Botswana) and has published 10 peer-reviewed scientific journal articles on the system, focusing on flooding dynamics and salt transport issues. He has cooperated with a number of groundwater consultants (Water Resources Consultants, Wellfield Consulting Services, Aqualogic) in various projects focusing on water resources development in and around the Delta.
• RDG has much experience with (economic) valuation of goods and services provided by wetlands and the application of the “ecosystem approach” to wetland management in, among others, the Netherlands, Spain, Ukraine, Australia, Kenya and S. Africa..
• MF has undertaken research in tropical wetlands in Africa, Asia and Australia and published widely on wetland management and ecology. He is familiar with many of the guidelines on wetlands management published by the Ramsar Convention and is currently completing a project considering wetland land use and cover with sites in 8 southern African countries.