Matanzas, October 23 (RHC-PL)-- The Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment (CITMA) has confirmed the presence of specialists from eight countries at the 11th International Symposium on Wetland Management, which will address the conservation of these vulnerable ecosystems.

The meeting, organized by the CITMA branch from the western province of Matanzas, and the National Center for Protected Areas, is scheduled from November 6th through the 10th in Ciénaga de Zapata (Zapata Swamp).

Ciénaga de Zapata, about 180 kilometers southeast of Havana, considered the largest and best-preserved wetland in Cuba, has been declared a Ramsar Site and Biosphere Reserve.

Ángel Alfonso, president of the steering committee, highlighted the presence of prestigious Cuban and foreign experts who will promote approaches and experiences to support the objectives of the meeting.

Among them is the academic Rudolf S. de Groot from the Netherlands, who will be in charge of the event's opening conference entitled 'Benefits of wetland resources for conservation and sustainable management'.

Delegates from Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Brazil, Chile, the United States, and Germany have confirmed their participation, and representatives from El Salvador and Guatemala are also expected.

Project management, and implementation; Environmental goods and services; Management, conservation and rehabilitation of ecosystems, landscapes and biodiversity; and Governance in marine coastal ecosystems, are some of the topics to be discussed.