IN all regions of the world, human beings are suffering social, economic and environmental hardships resulting from the destruction and mismanagement of their natural resources, including their wetlands and water resources.

This destruction, which is continuing at alarming rates in many countries, is contributing to escalating poverty, water supply and food security problems, as well as robbing the planet of the biological diversity with which wetlands are endowed. Its causes are multiple – from local actions and national policies to global issues.

World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year on February 2. As defined by the Ramsar Convention held in 1971, wetlands cover a wide variety of habitats, including rivers and lakes, coastal lagoons, mangroves, peatlands, and even coral reefs. In addition, there are man-made wetlands such as fish and shrimp farms, irrigated agricultural land, salt pans, reservoirs, gravel pits, sewage farms, and canals.

Wetlands support high concentrations of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrate species. Of the 20,000 species of fish in the world, more than 40 per cent live in fresh water. Wetlands are also important storehouses of plant genetic material. Rice, for example, which is a common wetland plant, is the staple diet of more than half of the humanity.

Many decision-makers think that wetlands inhibit the growth of agriculture and industry. Urban wetlands are constantly degrading on account of urban development, encroachment, flow of domestic sewage, pesticides, fertilisers and industrial effluents, excessive fishing, boating, infestation with aquatic weeds and eutrophication, disturbances from excessive recreational activities and tourism, diversion of water from irrigation, domestic use or industrial uses.

In difficult financial times, it is not easy for the government to spend taxpayers’ money on environmental activities, especially if there is no broad support from the public. Some of the major economic benefits of wetland resources are:

Wetland products: Fishes (over two thirds of the world’s fish harvest is linked to the health of coastal and inland wetland areas), aquatic products, foods, drinking water, irrigation, and other crops, timber production etc.

Wetland services: Ecosystems protection, water treatment, pollution retention, energy resources, such as peat and plant matter, wildlife resources etc.

Wetland indirect uses: Flood control, storm protection, groundwater recharge tourism opportunities, transport and recreation.

Pakistan’s economy is agrarian in nature. Sindh and Southern Punjab support the cultivation of three major crops, wheat, cotton and sugarcane, while in Northeast Punjab rice is cultivated.

Types of wetlands in Pakistan include; flood plain wetlands of major river systems and their extensive network of tributaries; saline and temporary wetlands of arid and semi-arid expanses inland; coastal system such as lagoons, backwaters and estuaries; mangrove swamps; marine wetlands; and marches. Table gives the detail of the number of wetlands and their provincial location in Pakistan.

Despite its difficult economic conditions, Pakistan has striven to make environmental issues a priority. At the provincial, territorial and national level, the country is endeavouring to reduce poverty while conserving its natural resources. A number of initiatives have been taken at the national level to conserve and enhance the capacity of wetlands. Developments in this area are as follows:

1967: An exploration sponsored by WWF—UK revealed that wildlife and wetlands resources were severely threatened and, in most areas, declining in condition. The expedition report recommended that a range of wetland sites be declared protected areas.

1976: Pakistan ratified the Ramsar Convention. Nine wetland sites were recognised by the Ramsar Bureau as being of international importance.

1989: The Directory of Asian Wetlands prepared by Scott, listed 52 sites in Pakistan.

1992: The Pakistan National Conservation Strategy included the protection of watersheds and water bodies as two of 14 major programme areas for priority implementation.

2003: The national and site level investment in wetlands was generally inadequate to meet the challenge of conserving globally important biodiversity.

Significant activities comprised a programme for the rescue of lndus Dolphins (Platanista minor) stranded in irrigation canals during the dry season and support for eco-tourism initiatives on the Indus River. Monitoring of waterfowl, Punjab Urial (Ovis vignei punjabiensis) and Chinkara or Indian Gazelle (Gazella bennettii) Olive Ridley Turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) and Green Turtles (Chelonfa mydas) has been the key focus of conservation activities.

The Ramsar convention declared 19 wetlands of international importance located in Pakistan including North Western Alpine Wetlands, Salt Range Wetlands, Central Indus Wetlands and Makran Coastal Wetlands. The Pakistan Wetlands Programme initiated in 2005 fits well within development goals by aiming to promote equitable sharing of natural resources, securing rights-of-access, especially for poor communities, diversifying livelihoods, improving the income earning potential of stakeholder communities and creating incentives for sustainable wetlands management.

Although the tangible benefits of wetlands are easier to calculate in terms of monetary value, the true economic value of wetlands is difficult to determine due to the uniqueness and variety of their functions.

However, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the estimated value of all economic benefits generated by a single acre of wetland is between $150,000 and $200,000, and maintaining natural wetlands in residential areas can increase real property values by up to 28 per cent, while enhancing quality of life. Thus early identification of wetlands in the landscape increases opportunities to maintain and enhance the functions and values they provide.