WETLANDS in many cities and towns in Zimbabwe have never been appreciated for the immense role they play as evidenced by many infrastructural developments on wetlands.
Efforts made by many environmentalists to reverse negative human activity done on wetlands has hit a brick wall as people continue to unsystematically develop commercial and household infrastructure on wetlands.
Popular examples of developments on wetlands include Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa’s church in Chitungwiza and the multimillion dollar shopping mall and hotel being built by the Chinese close to the National Sports Stadium in Harare.
Although much outcry was made, structures continued to be built with many other wetlands earmarked for residential and commercial use.
However, the success story of the Magwenzi wetland in Chief Matsviriro’s area in Chibi District, Masvingo, is a true reflection of how wetlands can effectively serve communities in which they are found.
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally.
These areas include swamps, marshes, and bogs.
They can have saltwater, brackish or freshwater.
This particular wetland in Magwenzi is eight hectares long and has its source from a huge rocky mountain.
It has survived for quite a while and was fenced off in 2009 to protect it from people who had tampered with it in the 1970s and 1980s.
According to Gilbert Magwenzi, who is part of the Magwenzi Wetland Committee the UNDP gave the community a small grant with which they used to fence off the wetland.
“UNDP gave us US$32 000 in 2005 which we used to fence off the wetland protecting it from people tampering with it,” said Magwenzi.
“The Forestry Commission later came with 350 assorted trees, which we planted to protect the wetland.
“Unfortunately a fire resulted in the loss of those trees.
“This wetland has provided water for this community for a long time now.
“We guard it jealously because it is our only source of water in this drought-striken village.
“We have been able to grow a vegetable garden.”
One Mai Munikwi, a resident in Headman Magwenzi’s Village said the wetland had provided for the community drinking water in all the years of drought.
“Without this wetland I do not know where we would be,” Mai Munikwi said.
“We come to this well to fetch water for various household uses.
“Depending on how early you get to the well, you might have to wait for at least one hour before you can fill up just one 20-litre bucket.
“We are used to waiting for such long hours, but we know that without the wetland, it would be hard to survive in this place.”
Another resident, Memory Mukamuri said besides obtaining water from the wetland, they were using reeds to make mats.
“We usually come to get reeds from the wetland, which we use to make mats that we sell,” said Mukamuri.
Belinda Machingauta a forester with the Forestry Commission said the community had managed to see value of the wetland because of the various training workshops they had carried out.
“We as the Forestry Commission have conducted many workshops with the community members to make them understand the value and importance of wetlands,” said Machingauta.
“They have grown to know the types of trees to plant and those not to plant on this wetland.
“They have also grown to know the types of forest enterprises they can have from such wetlands and where to derive their income.”
The wetland is supplying water for three villages together with Chibi Mission School.
It also supplies water to the community’s gardening and bee-keeping projects although the bee- keeping project was lost due to a fire outbreak.
To show how important wetlands are, the world every year celebrates World Wetlands Day on February 2.
The idea came about in 1971 when on that day the Convention on Wetlands was adopted, in the Iranian city of Ramsar.
Since adoption and its first celebration in 1997, many government agencies and non-governmental organisations have strived to raise public awareness of wetland values and benefits.
Other environmentalists who include Environmental Management Agency (EMA) education and publicity manager, Steady Kangata say wetlands are sources of rivers and streams and there is no reason why they should be compromised by the elite.
“Wetlands replenish rivers and streams,” he said.
“They are a source of livelihoods for communities whose streams are connected to it.
“Why the affluent should destroy them for their own use when they can be a source of water for people in rural areas as well is not good.”
Wetlands are believed to lessen climate change effects by acting as carbon sinks.
They also promote the ability to adapt to climate change by storing and regulating water.
Water is life so the adage goes and unless Zimbabweans begin to realise that the wetlands they are so bent on destroying under the pretext of obtaining a roof over one’s head mean a lot more to others downstream, then we are not playing our part in meeting the Millennium Development Goal Number Seven of Ensuring Environmental Sustainability.