Govt calls for the protection of wetlands

GOVERNMENT has continued to push for the protection of wetlands with Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Manicaland Advocate Misheck Mugadza stressing the need for immediate action to ring-fence these vital ecosystems from encroachment and degradation.

Following the recent national World Wetlands Day (WWD) ceremonies in Harare, Adv. Mugadza made the following remarks. The topic of the celebrations, "Wetlands and Wellbeing," focused on the connection between wetlands and human wellbeing. He said that wetlands were vital ecosystems that supported freshwater supply, biodiversity, climate mitigation and adaptation, global economies, and more in a post on X (previously Twitter).

In order to slow down the rapid loss of wetlands, he also said it was wise to increase awareness of their significance at the provincial and national levels. "We celebrated World Wildlife Day at Gotora School in the Buhera District last Tuesday. We are losing wetlands three times faster than forests, with over 90% of the world's wetlands deteriorated since the 1700s, he wrote in his piece.

The Treaty on the Conservation of Wetlands was signed in Ramsar, Iran, on February 2, 1971, and is the reason behind the celebration of WWD. The goal of the pact, which is now commonly referred to as the Ramsar Convention, is to increase public awareness of the need to conserve, use, and manage wetlands and their resources. One of the most important ecosystems in the nation, wetlands have long produced a variety of ecological goods and services.

Through the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) secretary general Mr. Paul Zakariya requested the government to implement by-laws that forbid agriculture activities along stream banks and in wetlands. "To ensure there is high levels of compliance, it would be important to have clear by-laws that prohibit planting in wetlands and along river valleys, and to have the laws strictly enforced," Mr. Zakariya added.

The Environmental Management Act (CAP 20:27) and its supporting statutory instruments were also made available to the public by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA). According to the notice, failing to safeguard wetlands is a crime that carries a level 5 fine up to a maximum level 10 (US$200 to US$700) or a six-month jail sentence.

In order to ensure that wetlands continue to provide products and services in the best quantities and qualities, to support biodiversity and life on Earth, sustainable wetland management is still an intentional and necessary approach. Wetlands are vital for preserving water quality and controlling climate patterns because of their exceptional capacity to store carbon and naturally manage floods.

Wetlands are defined as "areas of marsh, fen, peatland, or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish, or salt, including riparian land adjacent to the wetland" by the Environmental Management Act (Cap 20: 27).