2 February 2009
This year in February, Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism
(LEDET) in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, National Department
of Water and Forestry, Polokwane municipality and the working for Wetlands
initiative celebrated World Wetlands Day at Ga-Molepo, Limpopo.
"Upstream downstream Wetlands connect us all" is the theme for this year,
which seeks to capture the sense of how, interconnected we all are within the
river basin and how we can be impacted by those upstream of us just as much as
our activities can affect those downstream from us.
The Ga-Molepo wetlands are situated not very far from the renowned Zion
Christian Church headquarters in Moria, Boyne. Colleen Nemadodzi from South
African Natural Biodiversity Institute (SANBI's) working for Wetlands project
explained to the Ga-Molepo community the reason for SANBI's existence by saying
that it was the government's intention to co-ordinate response to restore and
rehabilitate wetlands. She said that over R30 million was spent on three
projects one of which was the promotion of healthy wetlands.
Ms Nemadodzi explained that one of the objectives of SANBI was to
co-ordinate government's response to restore wetlands. She also emphasised the
importance of rehabilitating wetlands and added that over R30 million has been
spent so far in three projects which are aimed at rehabilitating wetlands and
promoting healthy ones. Different speakers at the celebrations encouraged the
community of Ga-Molepo to keep up the good work of taking care of the wetlands
in their area and explained to them the eight standards of measurement used in
an area to be declared a Ramsar site.
Me Dikeledi Magadzi the MEC for agriculture who was acting on behalf of
LEDET MEC Collins Chabane also encouraged the Ga-Molepo community to work
together with the government in spreading the messages and lessons of
environmental education to sustain the natural environment. She said "Let us
all continue to preserve nature for it to impact positively in our lives." The
MEC continued her keynote address by saying that the two departments, LEDET and
agriculture must ensure that they collaborate with churches in the community to
curb soil erosion. She also urged chiefs to play a pivotal role in encouraging
the community to take care of the environment.
Fifty-percent of wetlands worldwide have been lost due to incorrect
perceptions of wetlands as wastelands, poverty due to environmental degradation
and bad agricultural practices all of which lead to eventual diminished water
availability. It's not all bad though, the good news is that all of the above
mentioned perceptions can be reversed by doing the following, valuing our
natural assets through recreation and tourism and improving the quality of our
water by keeping our rivers clean.
It is in wetlands were food source like fish are found to support people
with their daily basic food needs. Whenever you find healthy wetlands, there
will be healthy people too emphasised Chabane. LEDET is committed in particular
to oversee the implementation of the Limpopo Environmental Management Act, to
preserve and protect this heritage which must benefit generations to come.
Issued by: Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism,
Limpopo Provincial Government
2 February 2009
Source: Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, Limpopo
Provincial Government (http://www.ledet.gov.za)
