World Wetlands Day was celebrated on 2 February, the date the Ramsar Convention was first implemented in 1971. The Convention is an intergovernmental treaty for the conservation of wetlands. This year, the theme of the day was Wetlands for our Future: Sustainable Livelihoods.
A visit to the Kloofendal Nature Reserve’s wetland proved the importance of wetland conservation. Karin Spottiswoode, Friends of Kloofendal field guide, explained that wetlands are a natural water filtration system. Specific plants in wetlands, like the bullrush reed, absorb chemicals and purify the water.
“People throw litter out of their car windows and any petrol or oil that is deposited on to the road ends up in streams which feed the wetland,” said Spottiswoode. Other threats to the wetland are invading alien plants such as red sorrel, yellow fire thorn, thistle and gooseberry. Chemical run-off from swimming pools, sewage leaks, increasing development and erosion with its potential to silt up the river, all pose threats to wetlands.
“Without wetlands the water would become dirtier. We already have a problem where people will wash their clothes and urinate in the water upriver and then downriver there are people trying to drink the same water.We have so little fresh water we can not afford to lose more,” Spottiswoode added.
She explained how important wetlands are. “The ecosystem would also disappear. Not only will the big animals be affected but so will the insects. No one thinks of the small animals. We need insects for pollination and for making compost.” The bull frog is an endangered species because of the destruction of wetlands. However, anyone can contribute to wetland conservation by not littering, picking up litter and volunteering at a wetlands site.
Details: Karin Spottiswoode, 011 674 2980.
