In 2004 The Trust supported the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society’s application to list the Manawatu Estuary under the Ramsar Convention. The Ramsar Convention (or Convention on Wetlands) is a treaty signed by over 150 countries wherein they agree to be part of international cooperation regarding the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.

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In July 2005, the Manawatu Estuary was listed under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands as a Wetland of International Importance (Ramsar site no. 149).

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Achieving Ramsar status was a large step forward in protecting the Manawatu Estuary for the future.