…Letša-la-Letsie designated as Wetland of International importance
Liapeng Raliengoane
MASERU – With the aim to raise global awareness about the vital role of wetlands for people and planet, World Wetlands Day was commemorated last Thursday through the coordination of ReNOKA.
World Wetlands Day also marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar. This year’s commemoration went under the theme “It’s Time for Wetlands Restoration,” which highlights the urgent need to prioritize wetland restoration.
Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time during the year, including during the growing season.
Speaking at the ReNOKA event, Ramsar National Focal Person on Wetlands and the Department of Water Affairs Senior Water Resources Engineer Ntiea Letsapo revealed that in 2021 world Wetlands Day was designated as the United Nations International Day and Lesotho ratified the Convention in 2002. That Letša-la-Letsie was designated on 01 July 2004 as a Wetland of International importance- Ramsar site.
On the value of wetlands, Letsapo said they provide most freshwater, store more carbon than forests, attenuate extreme weather and are a source of livelihood and food.
He additionally, indicated that the wetlands are fast degrading due to human activities. That they are being lost three times faster that forests and wetlands species are also facing extinction.
He listed, uncontrolled use of wetlands, legal protection, overstocking, invasive species, non-punitive charges or fees and encroachment through urbanization and agriculture as challenges facing wetlands in Lesotho.
Letsapo urged the nation to value wetlands as vital as natural infrastructure that contributes to human sustenance, to shine the light on the intimate connection between humanity and nature, to undertake an integrated approach in wetlands restoration, conservation, wise use and sustainable management and to increase efforts to conserve and restore the ecological integrity of the wetlands.
ReNOKA is an Integrated Catchment Management movement, which calls on all who live in the Orange-Senqu River Basin to take action to protect the natural resources. This ReNOKA programme was created and maintained with the financial support of the European Union.
…with 35% losses of natural wetlands since 1970.
The Global Wetlands Outlook reports that although wetlands still cover a global area of 1.2 billion hectares, they are declining fast, with 35% losses of natural wetlands since 1970, where data is available. That the quality of remaining wetlands is also suffering due to drainage, pollution, invasive species, unsustainable use, disrupted flow regimes and climate change.
From the Department of Range Resources Management ‘Malipholo Hae pointed out that the visual evidence on the causes of wetland degradation are livestock trampling, rangeland fires, invasive plants, encroachment by cropland and encroachment by settlements.
She added that the recommendations entail: defining a healthy wetland using species composition, intensifying public education, demarcate wetlands, constructing animal drinking points, developing grazing management plans and allowing controlled use of wetland resources.
The Government of Lesotho’s National Strategic Development Plan II 2018/19 to 2022/23 states that environmental degradation is a serious concern. Lesotho loses at least 2% of its topsoil annually due to erosion. About 66% of households live on degraded land.
Increasing environmental degradation has led to loss of critical habitats such as wetlands, forests, and vegetation cover, and has significantly reduced the capacity of catchments to capture and store water. Annual depletion of natural resources is estimated at 4.6% of gross national income.
Environmental degradation is a result of increased use of natural resources for farming, over grazing of rangelands, and cutting trees and other natural vegetation for fuel and other uses; and unregulated encroachment of human settlements on prime agricultural land. This has posed both economic and governance challenges.
If preserved, it will facilitate ecotourism and associated job creation…
Lesotho has developed policies and frameworks to address climate change and environmental degradation, and interventions include tree planting, land reclamation, protection of wetlands and other biodiversity, and conservation programmes (i.e. likhakeletsi); however, evidence indicates more efforts are essential to reverse environmental degradation and desertification.
If preserved, it will facilitate ecotourism and associated job creation. Institutional fragmentation, duplication of efforts, and poor coordination between ministries, non-governmental organizations, and development partners are the root causes of weak policy and programme implementation, and associated enforcement.
According to the Global Wetland Outlook: Special Edition 2021, COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we think about health and the environment, with more recognition of the importance of nature for health, including mental wellbeing. Ecosystem degradation and careless wildlife trade both increase the risks of pandemics, with up to three quarters of new diseases being zoonotic in origin. Meanwhile, water-borne diseases ‘like infant diarrhea’ are increased by poor wetland management and cause millions of deaths every year.
The future of sustainable food production is dependent on healthy wetlands…
In addition, impacts of agriculture on wetlands are becoming more apparent: Agriculture is a key driver of wetland degradation, but the future of sustainable food production is dependent on healthy wetlands and wise use. Over half of Wetlands of International Importance are damaged by agriculture. Transformation of agriculture is urgently needed to reverse these trends.
Urban planning that incorporates wetlands delivers better health and well-being for city residents.
Enhanced integration and co-ordination are needed across the agriculture, urban development and wetland management sectors. Major changes are needed to reduce water use and pollution and to stop wetland conversion. Urban planning that incorporates wetlands delivers better health and well-being for city residents. The Convention on Wetlands has introduced a Wetland City Accreditation scheme to recognize cities taking exceptional steps to protect urban wetlands.
Last but not least, the edition states that wetlands are critical to delivering on global commitments relating to biodiversity, climate change and sustainable development. ‘Nature-based solutions’ including multiple roles for wetlands, can help move beyond a narrow focus on human-built infrastructure.
Spotlight on Wetlands restoration
…Letša-la-Letsie designated as Wetland of International importance
By Liapeng Raliengoane
MASERU – With the aim to raise global awareness about the vital role of wetlands for people and planet, World Wetlands Day was commemorated last Thursday through the coordination of ReNOKA.
World Wetlands Day also marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar. This year’s commemoration went under the theme “It’s Time for Wetlands Restoration,” which highlights the urgent need to prioritize wetland restoration.
Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time during the year, including during the growing season.
Speaking at the ReNOKA event, Ramsar National Focal Person on Wetlands and the Department of Water Affairs Senior Water Resources Engineer Ntiea Letsapo revealed that in 2021 world Wetlands Day was designated as the United Nations International Day and Lesotho ratified the Convention in 2002. That Letša-la-Letsie was designated on 01 July 2004 as a Wetland of International importance- Ramsar site.
On the value of wetlands, Letsapo said they provide most freshwater, store more carbon than forests, attenuate extreme weather and are a source of livelihood and food.
He additionally, indicated that the wetlands are fast degrading due to human activities. That they are being lost three times faster that forests and wetlands species are also facing extinction.
He listed, uncontrolled use of wetlands, legal protection, overstocking, invasive species, non-punitive charges or fees and encroachment through urbanization and agriculture as challenges facing wetlands in Lesotho.
Letsapo urged the nation to value wetlands as vital as natural infrastructure that contributes to human sustenance, to shine the light on the intimate connection between humanity and nature, to undertake an integrated approach in wetlands restoration, conservation, wise use and sustainable management and to increase efforts to conserve and restore the ecological integrity of the wetlands.
ReNOKA is an Integrated Catchment Management movement, which calls on all who live in the Orange-Senqu River Basin to take action to protect the natural resources. This ReNOKA programme was created and maintained with the financial support of the European Union.
…with 35% losses of natural wetlands since 1970.
The Global Wetlands Outlook reports that although wetlands still cover a global area of 1.2 billion hectares, they are declining fast, with 35% losses of natural wetlands since 1970, where data is available. That the quality of remaining wetlands is also suffering due to drainage, pollution, invasive species, unsustainable use, disrupted flow regimes and climate change.
From the Department of Range Resources Management ‘Malipholo Hae pointed out that the visual evidence on the causes of wetland degradation are livestock trampling, rangeland fires, invasive plants, encroachment by cropland and encroachment by settlements.
She added that the recommendations entail: defining a healthy wetland using species composition, intensifying public education, demarcate wetlands, constructing animal drinking points, developing grazing management plans and allowing controlled use of wetland resources.
The Government of Lesotho’s National Strategic Development Plan II 2018/19 to 2022/23 states that environmental degradation is a serious concern. Lesotho loses at least 2% of its topsoil annually due to erosion. About 66% of households live on degraded land.
Increasing environmental degradation has led to loss of critical habitats such as wetlands, forests, and vegetation cover, and has significantly reduced the capacity of catchments to capture and store water. Annual depletion of natural resources is estimated at 4.6% of gross national income.
Environmental degradation is a result of increased use of natural resources for farming, over grazing of rangelands, and cutting trees and other natural vegetation for fuel and other uses; and unregulated encroachment of human settlements on prime agricultural land. This has posed both economic and governance challenges.
If preserved, it will facilitate ecotourism and associated job creation…
Lesotho has developed policies and frameworks to address climate change and environmental degradation, and interventions include tree planting, land reclamation, protection of wetlands and other biodiversity, and conservation programmes (i.e. likhakeletsi); however, evidence indicates more efforts are essential to reverse environmental degradation and desertification.
If preserved, it will facilitate ecotourism and associated job creation. Institutional fragmentation, duplication of efforts, and poor coordination between ministries, non-governmental organizations, and development partners are the root causes of weak policy and programme implementation, and associated enforcement.
According to the Global Wetland Outlook: Special Edition 2021, COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we think about health and the environment, with more recognition of the importance of nature for health, including mental wellbeing. Ecosystem degradation and careless wildlife trade both increase the risks of pandemics, with up to three quarters of new diseases being zoonotic in origin. Meanwhile, water-borne diseases ‘like infant diarrhea’ are increased by poor wetland management and cause millions of deaths every year.
The future of sustainable food production is dependent on healthy wetlands…
In addition, impacts of agriculture on wetlands are becoming more apparent: Agriculture is a key driver of wetland degradation, but the future of sustainable food production is dependent on healthy wetlands and wise use. Over half of Wetlands of International Importance are damaged by agriculture. Transformation of agriculture is urgently needed to reverse these trends.
Urban planning that incorporates wetlands delivers better health and well-being for city residents.
Enhanced integration and co-ordination are needed across the agriculture, urban development and wetland management sectors. Major changes are needed to reduce water use and pollution and to stop wetland conversion. Urban planning that incorporates wetlands delivers better health and well-being for city residents. The Convention on Wetlands has introduced a Wetland City Accreditation scheme to recognize cities taking exceptional steps to protect urban wetlands.
Last but not least, the edition states that wetlands are critical to delivering on global commitments relating to biodiversity, climate change and sustainable development. ‘Nature-based solutions’ including multiple roles for wetlands, can help move beyond a narrow focus on human-built infrastructure.