Kempton is a "Ramsar site" ; it is listed under the Ramsar convention as part of the South West London Waterbodies
"South West London Waterbodies. 09/10/00. England. 828 ha. 51°24’N 000°23’E. SSSI, SPA. Comprises a number of reservoirs and former gravel pits in the Thames Valley adjacent to Heathrow Airport between Windsor and Hampton Court which support internationally important numbers of Gadwall Anas strepera and Shoveler Anas clypeata (Criterion 6). Potential future decommissioning of reservoirs once they are no longer needed for water supply may eventually require discussions with the current owners. Threats from potential urban development pressures are felt to be covered by existing regulations. Disturbance from recreational activities in parts of the site in winter months will be monitored. Ramsar site no. 1038. Most recent RIS information: 2000."
About Ramsar
The Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. It was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975, and it is the only global environmental treaty that deals with a particular ecosystem. The Convention's member countries cover all geographic regions of the planet.
The Convention's mission is "the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local, regional and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world".
The Convention uses a broad definition of the types of wetlands covered in its mission, including swamps and marshes, lakes and rivers, wet grasslands and peatlands, oases, estuaries, deltas and tidal flats, near-shore marine areas, mangroves and coral reefs, and human-made sites such as fish ponds, rice paddies, reservoirs, and salt pans.
Why are wetlands important?
Wetlands provide fundamental ecological services and are regulators of water regimes and sources of biodiversity at all levels - species, genetic and ecosystem.
Wetlands are windows on interactions between cultural and biological diversity.
Wetlands constitute a resource of great economic, scientific and recreational value for the global community.
Progressive encroachment on, and loss of, wetlands cause serious and sometimes irreparable damage to provision of ecosystem services.
Wetlands should be restored and rehabilitated, whenever possible.
Wetlands should be conserved by ensuring their wise use.
Ramsar in the UK
The Convention on Wetlands came into force for the United Kingdom on 5 May 1976. The United Kingdom presently has 165 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance, with a surface area of 895,144 hectares.