Humans are killing wetlands vital to health

Increasing human activities pose the greatest threat to Kenya's wetlands.

National Environmental Complaints Committee has raised the alarm days before the international community marks World Wetlands Day.

On Tuesday, Kenya will mark the day at Sabaki Estuary, Kilifi county. The theme is 'Wetlands for Water - Wetlands for Better Health'.

Sabaki River, 390km, is part of the second-largest river in Kenya.

From its source, it's known as Athi River, it becomes River Galana and 10km north of Malindi town it's called River Sabaki flowing into the Indian Ocean.

This year’s theme focuses on wetlands as a source of fresh water and encourages actions to restore them.

Countries are facing a growing freshwater crisis that threatens people and the planet as more freshwater is used than nature can replenish.

Water and wetlands are inseparable and  vital to life, human well-being, and the health of our planet.

NECC secretary John Chumo  told the Star wetlands are threatened by population pressure, land subdivision and fragmentation, over-utilisation of water as well as land-use changes such as the conversion to agriculture.

Other threats include poor waste management, hydropower development, climate change, sedimentation and siltation, invasive alien animal and plant species, as well as hyacinth.

Changes in hydrological conditions-sand harvesting, over-abstraction of water, and overgrazing are other challenges.

NECC investigates any allegations or complaints against any person or against the authority in relation to the environment.

On its own, the committee can investigate any suspected cases of environmental degradation and report to the Cabinet Secretary.

Wetlands are amongst the earth’s top carbon stores.

By conserving and restoring high-carbon wetlands, the country can reduce carbon emissions and increase its capacity to adapt to climate change, while improving biodiversity, water security, and human well-being.

Wetlands include all inland aquatic habitats (permanent or temporary, whether fresh, or saline, and including lakes, streams, rivers, and inland seas), coastal systems shallower than six metres depth at low tide (lagoons, estuaries, marshes, mangroves, seagrass beds, mudflats, and coral reefs), and human-made systems such as reservoirs (6,000–7,000 square kilometres) and rice paddies.

Environment laws define wetlands as areas permanently or seasonally flooded by the water where plants and animals have become seasonally adapted.

Wetland biomass are responsible for keeping rivers at a normal level as they hold water and release it to the river as needed.

Wetlands occupy three to four per cent of Kenya's landmass.

An acre of wetland can store 1-1.5 million gallons of floodwater.

Wetlands  are found in Lake Victoria, Lake Naivasha, Lake Baringo, Lake Turkana, Lake Bogoria, Lake Nakuru, and Lake Elementaita.

They are also found in swamps such as Yala, Kingwal, Nyando, Shompole, Lorian, Ondiri, Saiwa.

Wetlands are also found in Athi River, Ramisi River, Tana River, Nairobi River, Ewaso Ngiro while others are found in Olkaria, Menengai, Eburu among others.

Chumo said his organisation has received numerous complaints on wetland degradation.

Some of the benefits of wetlands include flood control and soil erosion prevention, water discharge and recharge and water purification, nutrient and toxic retention.

They also provide wildlife habitats and centers of biodiversity and help in the prevention of saline water intrusion among other benefits.

Chumo cited legal and policy vacuums, uncoordinated implementation of sectoral plans, inadequate information base, and low community participation in wetland management as problems in wetlands management.

Chumo said a wetland inventory assessment needs to be done.

(Edited by V. Graham)