By Donald Nyarota.
NYANGA, Zimbabwe. (News Of The South) – Wetlands are a precious natural resource which may vary widely due to geographical locations but are found from the tundra to the tropics and on every continent except the Antarctica.
Wetland represents natural endowments which beatify the natural environs with serene flora and fauna flourishing throughout seasons.
Wetlands pose positive benefits to the natural environment by absorbing excess water which helps prevent flooding, filtering pollutants as well as preserving water quality by retaining sediment, nutrients and other contaminant.
They are also natural habitats of wildlife as well as provide food, shelter and breeding habitat for frogs, salamanders, turtles, fish, insects, songbirds, waterfowl, deer, moose and many other creatures according to the Lakes Environment Association.
Aside from their beneficial functions of filtering pollutants and providing habitat, wetlands should be left alone because they are poorly suited for development; however this has not been the case in Zimbabwe.
Wetlands under threat
Environmental Management Agency (EMA) provincial Manager Mr. Kingstones Chitotombe reckons that more often than not anthropological activities including farming and construction put these picturesque plains at considerable risk.
He also said alluvial mining also posed a threat to wetlands through their extensive pollution of effluent.
“Currently we have seen quite a number of threats to these wetlands. First of which is clearing of land for agricultural purposes.
“Secondly we can talk of urbanization if you go to Chitungwiza most of the wetlands are now houses, we have also that wetlands are under threat due to chemical poisoning from mining activities especially alluvial mining,” he said.
Mr. Chitotombe said wetlands are considered as very important environmental assets which should be protected for sustainable exploitation.
“Wetlands are considered to be very important environmental assets and throughout history we have seen that they formed an integral part of human survival by way of sustainable exploitation.
“We have seen it prudent to conserve one of the wetlands we have in Manicaland in the name of Nyamuenda,” he said.
Protection and exploitation
In this wetland protection intervention EMA availed fencing equipment as well as fish seed for a community fish farming project.
The project was initiated by local boys way back in 1989 as a pastime but has now been turned into a life changing initiative.
Located on 0.7 hectares it will benefit over 170 families in Nyatondo village from 28 small fish ponds.
To ensure the sustainable exploitation of the wetland EMA facilitated training of villagers in collaboration with Voice of Africa Trust and the Livestock Production Development in fish farming.
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