In honour of World Wetlands Month the City of Tshwane recently hosted an event aimed at raising public awareness about the importance of wetlands.

Mike Mkhari, MMC for Environment and Agriculture, attended the event encouraged attendees to take care of wetlands. “For many years, wetlands have been regarded as wastelands, with their vital importance and functions not being fully understood,” he said.

As part of the event, which was supported by the Water Research Commission (WRC) and other stakeholders, a Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS) compiled by the WRC was launched. The RIS serves as a guideline report to consolidate the biodiversity and value of Ramsar wetland information to better understand and address challenges faced by other wetlands.

“Wetlands are important as they provide a number of benefits, not only to the natural environment, but also to our livelihoods. Wetlands improve water quality and serve as reservoirs, containing run-offs from roads, drains, roofs and storm water drains, help to reduce and prevent urban flooding and they act as crucial “green lungs” for the cities,” Mkhari added.

The event was completed by a tour to a peatlands where people learnt more about peatlands and how it functions. They were also educated on threats to wetlands and the ecosystem services provided by wetlands.