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Ivan Zhakata Herald Correspondent
HARARE residents under the umbrella Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) have joined the world in commemorating World Wetlands Day which highlights the importance of actions that ensure wetlands are conserved and sustainably used.
World Wetlands Day is observed annually on February 2 and this year it is being commemorated under the theme “Wetland Action for People and Nature.”
Zimbabwe is a signatory to the Ramsar Convention that provides an international legal framework on the protection of wetlands.
The residents said the day comes at a time when Harare’s wetlands, which are a source of water for the city, were being depleted at a faster rate by construction and agricultural activities with people settled on wetlands facing perennial flooding.
“Wetlands are fragile ecosystems rich in biodiversity and constitute resources of great ecological, economic, cultural and recreational value. Lack of consensus among civic society organisations, Government and other stakeholders on “sustainable use” of wetlands is self-destructing,” they said.
“We are aware that recently the Government gazetted a wetland map recognizing wetlands as ecologically-sensitive areas that need to be protected and preserved,”
The residents said considering that Harare was built on the catchment area of Lake Chivero, Manyame and Seke Dam and that council was spending US$3 million per month on water purification, wetlands can perform the water purification and other ecological functions for free which are beneficial to the city.
They recommended that local authorities come up with enforceable climate change policies that recognize wetlands protection as part of climate resilience strategy.
The residents said there must be improved coordination among Government departments, agencies and local authorities on environmental and water management plans.
The newly developed Harare wetlands map should guide spatial planning within the Metropolitan Province, say the residents.
Online Reporter