The usefulness of wetlands and consequences of their degradation

WETLANDS are land areas that are saturated or flooded by water either permanently or seasonally. The initial notion among some people is that wetlands are plots lying idle and of no use and must be drained, filled in and re-use for housing, agriculture or industry. It is not surprising that as much as 35 percent of wetlands on earth have disappeared since 1970. Wetlands are found in both coastal and inland areas. Coastland wetlands include saltwater marshes, estuaries, mangroves and lagoons.

On the other hand, floodplains, swamps, rivers, lakes and ponds are some of the inland wetlands. Even human constructions such as fish ponds, low land rice fields and salt pans are considered as wetlands. We have countless number of wetlands in Ghana, but some people tend to associate wetlands to only areas serving as stopover for migratory birds. Indeed, some are classified as wetlands of international importance and registered as Ramsar Sites and therefore protected according to the multilateral Ramsar Convention. Ghana currently has six Ramsar Sites with a total surface area of over one hundred- and-seventy thousand hectares.

These are Keta Lagoon Complex in the Volta Region; Sakumono, Songor and Densu Delta in Greater Accra; Muni-Pomadze in the Central Region; and Owabi Wildlife Sanctuary in Ashanti. Wetlands provide many environmental functions as well as livelihoods to many people. They are natural spill basins in times of flooding and they filter and recharge the underground water. They ensure biodiversity, protect our coastlines and mitigate climate change. Wetlands also guarantee food supply to indigenes as sites for fishing and aquaculture thereby providing human nutritional needs.

In addition, wetlands are known to purify and filter pollutants such as pesticides, mining and industrial wastes thus preventing those hazardous substances from continuing downstream. In spite of the usefulness of wetlands the areas continue to be under threat all over the world. A fundamental question is how can we keep a resilient wetland ecosystem that provides for human well-being and still sustains biodiversity and many other wetland services? Ghana is a signatory to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance.

Since the convention came into force in the country in 1988, Ghana has followed international best practices in wetland planning and management so far. A legal framework is in place and the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission has been vested with Ramsar Administrative Authority. Strategies and actions being implemented are geared towards wise use and long-term sustainability, wetland rehabilitation and restoration, among others. Despite the efforts in place, our Ramsar Sites remain vulnerable to both natural and human intrusion and disturbances. The wetlands have to contend with climate change, invasive weeds, pollution and many forms of human encroachment.

About a year ago, the Sakumono Ramsar Site was in the news as having experienced illegal activities such as sand winning, dumping of solid waste, removal of boundary pillars and trees as well as construction of illegal structures. Education and awareness creation must be intensified for people to understand and appreciate the value of wetlands. Environmental activists and civil society organizations should champion the protection of wetlands while the Wildlife Division and its collaborating agencies play their roles to safeguard our wetlands.

The biggest responsibility of protecting wetlands lies with the communities and citizens around these environmentally fragile sites. As we mark this year’s Wetlands Day, let us help in protecting them so as to derive the needed benefits from their existence in our communities.

BY GABRIEL ADUKPO A FREELANCE JOURNALIST