Wetlands International European Association

Wetlands International European Association (WI-EA), also known to external audiences as Wetlands International Europe was founded in 2013 by seven founding organizations with the main goal of sustaining and restoring wetlands, their resources and biodiversity. This network, now composed of 13 NGOs across nine countries, operates under a central Secretariat in Brussels, Belgium, and Ede, The Netherlands influencing European policies and their implementation nationally and through restoration actions on the ground that help connect knowledge development with policy advocacy and practices. We develop and manage international multi-partner projects and programmes around Europe addressed mainly to decision makers for improved policy creation and implementation, to private entities to foster greater investments in nature and to the general public to build understanding and consciousness around topics such as climate, water and biodiversity. Our project portfolio focuses on issues that range from research on wetlands and nature-based solutions to the management and restoration of waterbird and freshwater fish populations, as well as governance, capacity building, policy advocacy and stakeholder mobilisation. It also connects expertise from practitioners, universities, knowledge institutes and businesses with on-the-ground implementation, science and policy influencing.