On February 8, 2008 a symposium on the wise use of wetlands was held in Tokyo. Held to coincide with World Wetlands Day, this event marked the conclusion of the survey on the wise use of wetlands in Japan, made possible through support from the Japan Fund for Global Environment.

In addition to survey collaborators, representatives from government and facilities and other wetland conservationists were invited to attend a lecture providing international perspectives on the wise use of wetlands. Topics discussed included current wise use survey methods and future directions in their application.

The evaluation of the wise use of wetlands using WIJ’s spider chart method received positive reviews for its originality, ease of use and universal applicability. WIJ hopes that this method may be used in the evaluation of wetlands throughout the world.

The Wise Use DVD will be released in summer 2008.