By Firmain Eric Mbadinga
Imagine a canvas painted with strokes of land and water, creating an ecosystem that sustains an array of aquatic and terrestrial species. That's a wetland.
Wetlands International, a global not-for-profit conservation initiative, classifies mangroves, peat bogs, marshes, rivers, lakes, deltas, floodplains, forest floors, submerged fields, and coral reefs as biodiversity hotspots whose existence is crucial to solving climate, biodiversity, and water crises.
In Africa alone, wetlands span a staggering 131 million hectares.
"If you look beyond the surface, wetlands are brimming with potential," Dr Estelle Landrique Brun, a Beninese expert in wetland management, tells TRT Afrika.
"These potentialities go beyond the functions of an ecosystem. They are exceptional environments that provide services and contribute to our well-being in ways we often overlook."
Researchers studying mangroves, peat bogs, marshes, rivers and lakes vouch for their "restorative" features, all of which benefit humankind, animals and plants alike.
"They are exceptional environments to inhabit. They offer rest, recreation, and the opportunity for scenic walks," says Dr Brun, whose expertise extends to environmental geosciences and spatial planning.
The commemoration theme of World Wetlands Day on February 2 this year — "Wetlands and Human Well-being" – underscored the psychologically restorative role of wetlands.
A treasure trove
From a material perspective, mangrove lianas are selectively used for firewood, building materials, and even decoration. As a food source, mangroves are a reservoir of fish resources, including oysters, seaweed, fish, crabs, and prawns, all highly valued for their taste and protein content.
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) describes mangroves as "a group of vegetation that develops between tidal and coastal regions." This vegetation comprises mainly trees and shrubs capable of adapting to life in shallow brackish water, which denotes a mix of fresh and salt water.
Whether they are continental, artificial, marine, or coastal, wetlands function as bulwarks against natural disasters.
During heavy rain, peat bogs absorb excess water, slowing the release enough to prevent flooding.
Mangroves, on the other hand, protect coastlines from climatic disasters by absorbing and dispersing the waves of these disturbances, which often have severe consequences for human habitation, especially in coastal areas.
Wetlands International states that "a mangrove can reduce the destructive force of a tsunami by up to 90%".
Conservation challenge
Dr Brun emphasises that the first step towards action to protect wetlands is to recognise the role of these many-splendoured ecosystems in sustaining humans and the environment.
"In a wetland, no element should be neglected. Each is vital, helping create an 'integrated whole' or 'system'. When one link in the wetland is lost, the rest can go off balance. This is why it is said there are no boundaries between ecosystems," she explains.
In Benin, as in many other African countries, the need for living space and resources such as timber, oil and even coral is threatening this delicate balance.
"It's all very well to be comfortable in the knowledge that laws have been passed to protect wetlands, but the challenge is how to implement them," Dr Brun tells TRT Afrika.
Nestled in the southern reaches of Benin, these vibrant ecosystems are a lifeline for the local communities. The Ouémé and Mono deltas, recognised as Unesco Biosphere Reserves, are natural treasures supporting traditional fishing and agriculture practices that have thrived for generations.
Rapid population growth and urbanisation have emerged as the more potent threats to these wetlands. The challenges are different in some cases, such as excessive fishing in the Ouémé delta and uncontrolled sand extraction in the Mono region.
The findings of a study by Beninese journalist Jean-Baptiste Hontonnou reinforce how humans have destroyed or degraded wetlands in the West African nation. "It's an open secret. The situation is a bitter pill to swallow. They (wetlands) are under serious threat from urban development," he laments.
Regulatory requirements
Dr Brun believes the Ramsar Convention needs to be enforced to arrest the degradation of wetlands.
Signed in 1971 in Iran's city of Ramsar, this treaty binds the signatory nations to the common goal of preserving wetland ecosystems that are considered crucial for biodiversity, climate regulation, and the livelihoods of local communities.
The convention's framework encourages sustainable practices and ecological stewardship, ensuring these habitats thrive and support various plant and animal life.
Benin, which has at least 2,587,342 hectares of wetlands, ratified the Ramsar Convention in 2000.
While the situation remains worrying and the task daunting, Dr Brun notes encouraging efforts by the authorities in her native country to strengthen measures to protect and manage wetland ecosystems.
"Reforms and flagship actions have been undertaken in favour of wetlands, recognising them as 'fragile ecosystems' that need protection," she says.
On January 5, 2022, the Beninese authorities notified a list of "Marine Protected Areas". There's also a ban on "Acadja" practices, which involves creating artificial habitats for fish by placing branches of shrubs and trees into a lagoon or any water body at a depth of about one or two meters.
The authorities have also cracked down on the construction of lagoon banks, besides an asphalting project to counter flooding in some of Benin's cities.
"My only plea is that leaders, decision-makers, academics, scientists, NGOs, civil society, and the public should unite to tackle the challenge of wetland protection head-on," says Dr Brun.
Given what is at stake, her argument for collective and concerted action is bulletproof. Wetlands alone comprise 30% of the world's carbon sink, twice as much as the world's forests.
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