SEHUMED, Seat for the Study of Mediterranean Wetlands, is a multi-discipline research group of the University of Valencia. It works within the frame of a Collaboration Contract between the Spanish Environment Ministry. Sehumed collaborates in a regular basis with European institutions and the Environmental authorities of different Mediterranean countries, within the frame of formal agreements and conventions.

Sehumed participates actively with the international entities that work on the conservation and study of the wetlands. These are entities such as the Bureau Ramsar - Convention on Wetlands of International Importance. Besides, being one of the four wetland centres network of the MedWet Team (Permanent Committee for the Mediterranean Wetlands) it supports the MedWet/Com (Committee for the Mediterranean Wetlands), both in technical and administrative issues. Sehumed is ascribed to the Functional Biology Department and it has its headquarters at the Laboratory for Ecotoxicology and Environmental Quality, Burjassot Campus. The University of Valencia provides Sehumed with the material infrastructure and the scientific means, meanwhile the Central Government and the Valencian Local Government contribute with the financial means and institutional support.

SEHUMED is specialised in the study of the wetlands, mainly those in the Mediterranean area, and its activities are on international scope. Its main aim is the test and development of guidelines, criteria and innovative techniques for the analysis of the environment, the territorial assessment, natural environment conservation and sustainable management of the environmental resources.

SEHUMED issues the Boletín Sehumed, collaborating with the Conselleria de Medio Ambiente de la Generalitat Valenciana (Valencian Local Government), a specialised quarterly publication which distribution reaches more than 30 countries world-wide. Sehumed´s information and diffusion program is completed with the production of publications and informative material on specific aspects of the wetlands. An important part of its activities is the exchange of information and experiences among the diverse organisations and entities that have something to say on the study, conservation and management of the wetlands. Thus, SEHUMED is a meeting point and a forum for specialised debate.

It is also a way to co-ordinate and share of initiatives of diverse kind, on the wetlands, those initiatives being promoted both by governments and scientific bodies and the public and private entities involved in the management of the environmental resources and the citizen's participation in conservation.

In all this, the Group contributes with its expert advice, its organisative capabilities, and its operation modes.

Along these activities, there is a training program for specialists in environmental management and research applied to conservation, program addressed to professionals of both public and private sectors. SEHUMED develops an applied research program through the consecution of specific projects. These projects are performed with Sehumed´s own operation modes, and with the necessary contributions of international experts, entities and bodies.

The research projects keep to SEHUMED´s first aim: the test and development of innovative guidelines, criteria and methods for the environmental analysis, the territorial arrangement, the natural environment conservation and the sustainable management of the environmental resources. The following issues draw special attention:

1. Water Quality and Aquatic Biotopes Control and monitoring through out tests on ecotoxicity and biotic levels in aquatic biocenosis and follow-up physics chemicals parameters. Within this frame, another line of work goes on the development of contaminating activities control and monitoring techniques. These activities are centralised on the Laboratory for Ecotoxicology and Environmental Quality of the University of Valencia.
   
   
2. Sustainable development in the wetlands and their zone of influence. Territorial assessment techniques are studied -biotic, physical and socio-economic environment-, techniques that are completed with methods of territorial assessment, sustainable management of natural resources, administration and use of protected areas and sustainable resources are emphasised. Special interest is set on the citizen participation on the environment conservation, including the traditional local management of the natural resources.
   
   
3. Projects related to sustainable tourism, aiming to mantain and preserve the resources and cultural values of the wetlands and to develop harmonically the tourist and recreational uses. Identifying environmental problems and opportunities related to tourism within each of the modalities of the tourist development is one part of the work carried out. The other part is the production of management tools to be implemented.
   
   
4. Rescue of endangered fauna and flora and management of controlled habitats. Techniques for study and regeneration of habitats and populations of rare species, endemic and endangered species. In its scientific and technical aspects, -biology of the conservation, applied ecology, generic risk of extinction, populations genetics, restoration techniques - but also covering the administrative and socio-economic implications of the conservation plans.