Wetlands are ecosystems where aquatic and terrestrial habitats meet. They are areas where the water table is at or near the surface of the land, or simply where the land is covered by water. The exact extent of earth’s surface under wetlands is not known, but the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) has estimated that as much as 6 percent of the land surface falls in this category.
Wetlands are areas of biological diversity, providing water, habitat, and nutrients on which innumerable species depend for their survival. The ecology of soil, water, air, and plant and animal communities enables wetlands to perform vital functions. They retain and store rainwater, helping to prevent or attenuate catastrophic flooding and providing a source of water during drought. Wetlands have a great role in shoreline stabilization.
They prevent sediments from being washed into lakes and rivers, and hence help in cycling valuable nutrients in and from the soil. They provide an important climate regulating function by storing carbon within their plant communities and soil instead of releasing it to the atmosphere. Wetlands provide breeding grounds for many plant and animal species. Migratory waterfowl use wetlands as breeding, feeding, nesting, and resting places for at least part of the year.
Some species of waterfowl depend completely on certain wetlands and would become extinct if those wetlands were lost. Many people also depend on wetlands, using them for income generating and livelihood activities such as rice cultivation, fishing, and collection of wetland products. For instance, much of the population surrounding Ghodaghodi Lake depends on it for traditional fishing and agriculture.
Despite their significance to humankind, half of the world´s wetlands have vanished. Human activities cause wetland degradation by altering the flow rates, quality, and quantity of water, for example by increasing pollutant inputs and by draining wetlands for agricultural activities, industrial development, and urban expansion. Although wetlands act as sponges and soak up contaminants from the surface water, there is a limit to their ability to do this.
The primary pollutants causing wetland degradation are sediments, fertilizers, pesticides, human and animal wastes, and heavy metals, which originate from many sources.
Yet another cause for concern in wetland conservation worldwide is climate change. It affects wetlands in various ways, directly and indirectly. Increased temperature of surface water and rising carbon concentration can affect nutrient availability in a water body.
Degradation of wetlands can have serious ecological consequences. One of the major effects is an increased rate of flooding owing to loss of floodplain land. Another impact is loss of the ecosystem’s water purification functions, with a negative impact on secure water supplies. Disturbance, degradation, or loss of wetland habitats causes deterioration of biodiversity, water quality, the range of recreational opportunities, and aesthetic values. We can prevent these consequences by conserving our precious wetlands.
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands—a global treaty created in 1971 to protect the world´s valuable wetlands—provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. It is the single worldwide environmental agreement for a particular ecosystem and was the first to connect conservation with the sustainable use of natural resources. Each country that is a Party to the Convention designates wetland sites for inclusion in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
Every year since 1997, February 2 has been celebrated as World Wetlands Day, marking the date of the adoption of the Ramsar Convention. Government agencies, non-governmental organizations, conservation organizations, and groups of citizens celebrate the day with activities to raise public awareness about the importance and value of wetlands.
The theme for World Wetlands Day 2012 is ‘Wetlands and Tourism’, emphasizing that responsible tourism supports wetlands and people. Indeed, wetlands have great recreational, aesthetic, historical, cultural, and environmental values and are attractive for tourists and nature lovers. Wetlands provide opportunities for bird-watching, fishing, hiking, boating, hunting, and wildlife photography.
Tourists spend billions of dollars annually on wetland visits. Artists capture their exquisite beauty on canvas or paper and in photographs, video, and sound recordings. Of the nine Ramsar sites of Nepal, Gokyo and Gosainkunda Lakes are among the most popular destinations, with thousands of visitors every year.
Well planned and managed tourism should concern all citizens. Wetland tourism activities must be inclusive and responsible and must contribute to reducing the poverty of communities living in or around the wetlands. Wetland degradation harms our quality of life and our economic wellbeing.
It is therefore important to educate local people and tourists on the importance of conserving wetlands for nature and biodiversity and for local economic development. Wetlands must be rehabilitated and biodiversity restored if we hope to maintain and improve the quality of our natural resources to ensure tourism for future generations.
Conserving wetlands can protect our health and welfare. Let us use them wisely.
The writer is a consultant with Environmental Change and Ecosystem Services Programme at ICIMOD
rmshreshtha@icimod.org
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