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what are causes, effects and mitigation measures to rescue the depletion of the environment

Wetland conservation is aimed at protecting and preserving areas where water exists at or near the Earth's surface, such as swamps, marshes and bogs. Wetlands cover at least six per cent of the Earth and have become a focal issue for conservation due to the ecosystem services they provide. More than three billion people, around half the world’s population, obtain their basic water needs from inland freshwater wetlands. The same number of people rely on rice as their staple food, a crop grown largely in natural and artificial wetlands. In some parts of the world, such as the Kilombero wetland in Tanzania, almost the entire local population relies on wetland cultivation for their livelihoods

According to the Ramsar definition "Wetland are areas of marsh, fen, peat land or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salty, including areas of marine water, the depth of which does not exceed six metres". OR

Wetlands are defined as "areas of marsh, fen, peat land or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, brackish or salty, including areas of marine water the depth of which, at low tide, does not exceed six meters" (Ramsar Convention, 1971). Wetlands are among the world’s most biologically productive ecosystems and rich in a diversity of species. Of the 20 000 species of fish in the world, more than 40% live in fresh water. Wetlands are very important storehouses of plant genetic material some of which are valuable resources for human wellbeing. For example, rice, which is a common wetlands plant, is the staple diet of more than half of the world’s human population (Ramsar Convention, 1971). from time immemorial, wetlands have been regarded as wastelands, but they are among the last truly wild and untouched places of the world.

In Tanzania there are major wetlands systems forming the valley bottom wetlands, and these include the Great Ruaha, Wami, Kilombero, Pangani, Malagarasi, Ruvu and

Katavi river systems. The largest in this category are the Great Ruaha river systems with wetlands covering 6950 ha (MNRT, 2003). All the wetlands are considered useful for agriculture and as a source of other natural resources, which are important to human wellbeing. Agricultural production, which has a significant contribution to economic wellbeing of a society, is one of the major livelihood activities of wetlands utilization

 Classification of wetlands in Tanzania

The Ramsar Convention requires each contracting party to develop their own wetlands classification system relevant to the country’s environment.

From the existing knowledge, wetlands in Tanzania .Can be classified into categories namely:

• Highland headwater wetlands:These are usually located in head waters of rivers in mountainous ecoregions. Such wetlands are located at spring sources of river systems and are usually associated with rainforests and/or high annual rainfall. The waters of such wetlands are characterized by low temperatures, clear water with little dissolved oxygen. Although the waters of these wetlands are mostly clear with clear and minimum sediments/pollution; the water quality largely depends on the geology of rock underlying the area

Freshwater estuarine wetlands:These are wetlands formed along the lake shores up to six metres deep. Such wetlands are associated with meandering of rivers (due to low gradients) depositing sediments

As they enter the lakes. Such rivers bring with them nutrients from distant areas thus providing food to the fish and other organisms in the lake.

Internal drainage wetlands: These are inland semi-arid wetlands. They are found in the dry lands where annual rainfall is very low ranging from 400 mm to 600 mm. During rain seasons, runoffs collect within catchment and water is retained in low depressions. This water then evaporates very fast on sun/dry times leaving behind very little water which in most cases has high concentrations of caustic soda. When the caustic soda becomes excessive, becomes useful for salt making.

Rivers and inland Floodplain wetlands:These are comprised of plains usually formed in low altitudes whereby rivers floods seasonally during the rain seasons. These are areas where takes place and layers of soils profiles are formed in various seasons and years. Given the layering, the soils here are very fertile with adequate moisture thus are as reliable for agriculture.

Marine and coastal wetlands:These comprise of areas where the river enters the ocean thus forming deltas. This is a point where there is a gradient or salt intrusion as fresh water bodies meet the saline ocean water. These wetlands are important habitats for fish, shrimps, lobster and sea shells.

Man-made wetlands:There are very few wetlands of this category In the country. The largest of these reservoirs are Mtera (610 sq. Km) and Nyumba ya Mungu (180 sq. Km). The medium-large reservoirs include Holombo (15.37 sq. Km, Kidatu (10 sq. Km) and Pangani. Like others,these wetlands are also habitats for various wildlife while also playing a unique role of hydropower production. Despite such importance, Except for the Nyumba ya Mungu wetland which is a Game ControlledArea (GCA), almost all the wetlands in this category are not protected.

Rift system wetlands: They are found in the rift depressions and are characterized by salt lakes, playas, swamps and short streams with inland drainage. These are characterized with soils that are heavy and are affected by salinity.

Importance of Wetlands and Wetland Systems

Among their many valuable functions, wetlands filter pollutants that might otherwise flow into rivers, streams or lakes. Wetlands are often referred to as the "kidneys of the landscape." Riparian wetlands, whose sponge like quality enables them to store heavy rains that could otherwise cause floods, also help to prevent erosion of streambeds

(MNRT, 2003). Wetlands are the breeding, feeding and nesting grounds for many endangered species including plants, non-endangered wildlife and natural communities. Wetlands are also used for recreational activities such as bird watching, canoeing, fishing and hiking. The economic, environmental, and recreational values of wetlands are immeasurable. The only continent with no wetlands is the Antarctica (Wambura, 2004).

For centuries, Tanzania’s wetlands have supported life of human populations that have developed specialized strategies to utilize the agricultural, fishing, hunting, and grazing potentials and other resources that the wetlands can provide. Furthermore, wetlands are endowed with a host of functions that provide beneficial goods and services to mankind (Ellis, 2000). The importance of wetlands to human populations is arguably most clearly demonstrated within the Tanzania’s context. With this regard, wetlands play a vital role in sustaining a significant proportion of the country’s population. With much of Tanzania lying within arid and semi-arid climates, biological productivity is dependent upon the availability of water and nutrients. It is in Tanzania’s wetlands that these requirements for life are abundant (Ngailo Et al., 2002)

Factors Influencing Utilization of Wetlands Resources in Tanzania

The factors that influence the utilization of wetlands resources in Tanzania are many ranging from socio-cultural, socio-political, socio-economic and biophysical (MNRT,2004; Wambura, 2004). Likewise, in many parts of Tanzania major problems influencing sustainable utilization of wetlands include drought, which is caused by unreliable rainfall; poor soil moisture storage characteristics; crop diseases and pests all of which affect agricultural crops and livestock. Other problems include lack of capital to invest on different socio-economic undertakings, poor farming practices leading to land degradation, lack of extension services due to manpower shortage, and lack of agricultural inputs among others (Makala et al., 2003).

Challenges to Wetlands Management in Tanzania

Tanzania is extremely rich in wetlands resources. These resources play an important role in poverty alleviation and in the protection of the environment (ESP, 2003). Although most of these wetlands are still in fairly natural conditions, some of these for example Pangani and Usangu in Ruaha-Rufiji river systems and their flood plains have major ecological alteration (Turpie, 2000). A wise use and sustainable management of the wetlands resources are therefore a prerequisite if they are to continue saving economic development goals of Tanzania.

The Government of Tanzania has shown its commitment towards a wise use of wetlands resources by ratifying the Ramsar Convention. The convention provides the contracting countries with an overall framework for wetlands management. It is an international forum for the exchange of experiences, information, as well as specific guidelines on important wetlands issues such as policies, wetlands resources inventories and wetlands management. The government of Tanzania therefore has guidance within an overall international framework to steer the implementation process of wetlands management. Together with such efforts, the country is implementing the wise use principle in wetlands management as per the Ramsar’s convention guidelines.

However, there are still some limits and challenges in attaining the objective of the wise use principle in the wetlands management as per the Ramsar’s convention guidelines. Some of the limits and challenges Tanzania faces include the compromise between the long-term and short-term benefits. The short-term solutions might provide a burst in income over a short period of time but such solutions are seldom sustainable. On the other hand, the long-term sustainable planning and utilization are often more difficult albeit, they have proven to provide the largest and continuous benefits over a long period of time. Thus, according to Ramsar Convention, it is a wise use, but to the rural poor and whose focus is on a day-to-day survival, it is a great challenge, requiring assistance from the government and international community. Further, lack of capacity in terms of human and financial resources is a big constraint on wetlands management. The most notorious of all the constraints in sustainable wetlands management in Tanzania is the level of information and the knowledge base on specific wetlands resources and their values. Such information and knowledge are extremely limited. The inventory assessment, monitoring and research in wetlands resources should be at the top of the country’s priorities, if Tanzania is to manage the wetlands resources in a more sustainable manner in supporting the efforts of improved livelihood and poverty reduction (ESP, 2003).

Threats to wetlands

The following activities are threats to the integrity of wetlands in Tanzania:

1. Cutting of aquatic and other vegetation for fuel, housing, commercial Activities.

2. Overgrazing and overcultivation by pastoralists and farmers.

3. Illegal and improper fishing practices.

4. Pollution by domestic sewage, industrial effluent, and agro-chemicals.

5. Development activities, including dam construction, coastal development, mining and quarrying.

6. Eutrophication may be caused by point and leads to oxygen depletion.

7. Establishment of new human and livestock settlements.

8. Hunting and killing of wildlife.

9. Introduction, illegally or otherwise, of non-traditional or alien species into wetlands (e.g. water hyacinth, nile perch).

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