ID :
131599
Tue, 07/06/2010 - 14:54
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/131599
The shortlink copeid
OUR WETLANDS, OUR SURVIVAL
By Sakina Mohamed
KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 (Bernama) -- If you think that our wetlands have little
to do with our survival, think again.
Our wetlands act as the natural treatment plant for natural and man-made
pollutants. Not only that, it can even extract the nutrients from polluted water
or air.
So, what does this have to do with humans? Well, in filtering dirty air and
water, it ensures that humankind gets sustainable fresh water supply and breathe
in clean air.
Therefore, the destruction to our wetlands will definitely affect the
well-being and finance of the country.
Conservation of wetland ecosystems is essential not only for sustainable
fresh water supply but also for preserving biodiversity.
WHAT ARE WETLANDS?
Environmental scientist Dr Nather Khan Ibrahim says the term wetlands cover
mainly inland, coastal and marine natural habitats of permanent or temporary
water bodies or wet areas.
In Malaysia, the wetlands are mainly freshwater swamp forests, peat swamp
forests, coastal and estuarine mangroves, natural rivers and lakes, flood plains
(estuary), and coastal areas, says Dr Nather Khan, the former Malaysian and
Southeast Asian Coordinator for the then Asian Wetland Bureau.
The more recognisable uses for wetlands are for water transport, recreation,
tourism and fish breeding. However, Dr Nather Khan says the wetlands have
hundreds of other uses, values and functions.
"Each wetland has soil, water, plants and animals that are unique to it.
Each one can be classified into three, based on its products, functions and
attributes," he said in an interview with Bernama.
Wetlands classified under products produce forest resources such as
timber, medicine, resins, honey and fruits. They also provide wildlife resources
such as food, biodiversity, shelter and even for aesthetic purposes. Some
provide fish breeding grounds, while others provide forage resources,
agricultural resources and water supply.
VITAL FOR LIVELIHOOD
Meanwhile, those classified under functions are vital for our livelihood.
"These wetlands help in groundwater recharge and discharge, for flood control,
shoreline stabilization and erosion control."
Many would also be amazed to know that our wetlands play a big role in
protecting us from the adverse effects of climate change. They provide storm
protection, protect us from tsunamis, serve as windbreakers and even help in
microclimate stabilisation.
Wetlands classified for their attributes are those that play a role in
biological diversity, and are the habitats for rare plants and animals and is
unique to our culture and national heritage.
Tigers, tapirs and crocodiles can mostly be found in wetlands, like certain
species of flora that cannot be found elsewhere.
Therefore wetland affects every aspect of human life, including quality of
life, natural resources, food and water supply.
"It can also adversely affect our climate and even rainfall," says Dr Nather
Khan.
CHALLENGES IN PRESERVING OUR WETLANDS
There are six Ramsar sites in Malaysia with the largest one in the east
Malaysian state of Sabah,covering 78,000 hectares. The rest are the Kuching
Wetlands National Park (Sarawak), Pulau Kukup (Johor), Sungai Pulai (Johor),
Tanjung Piai (Johor), and Tasek Bera (Pahang).
Dr Nather Khan, who was part of the team that helped initiate and mobilise
all the necessary groundwork to designate and declare Tasek Bera (Bera Lake) as
Malaysia's first Ramsar Site, says there are several challenges to protecting
our wetlands.
Encroachment and illegal clearance by local settlers and communities and
poor enforcement by government agencies have been some of the issues, he
revealed.
However, he says two of the biggest problems in preserving our wetlands are
land clearance for plantations and aquaculture.
The plantations in question are mostly oil palm estates and mills. Clearance
of land for such purposes almost always produce massive amounts of pollution
from agricultural and chemical wastes.
"Constant discharge of oil palm mill effluents, which have high amount of
BOD (biochemical oxygen demand), COD (chemical oxygen demand), ammonia and
nutrient components affects water quality and soil characteristics of the
wetlands," says Dr Nather Khan.
Although wetlands in general can tolerate natural pollutants, it can only
accommodate a certain level of human interference.
"However, pollutants discharged en masse from oil palm mills can cause the
eutrophication of wetland water bodies," he says.
Eutrophication means an increase of mineral and organic nutrients that
promote proliferation of plant life, especially those like algae, which reduce
dissolved oxygen content and often cause the extinction of other organisms.
POLLUTION FROM OIL PALM ESTATES
The domino effect to this would be an alteration of the entire natural
wetland into a new type of habitat that is devoid of all its previous uses,
products, functions and attributes.
Dr Nather Khan says oil palm mills should not simply discharge any amount of
effluents to the Ramsar site or any other wetlands, as it is supposed to be free
from any human intervention and pollutants.
"But the companies involved may try to justify their actions by saying that
the pollutants are treated up to the level that is approved by the Department of
Environment."
Given the important role it plays to our livelihood, Malaysia must pay
greater heed to how much development it allows at wetlands areas. Is it worth it
to destroy truly sophisticated, valuable resources that have been part of our
heritage for thousands of years, in the name of short-term gain? The question
shouldn't be a difficult one to answer.
-- BERNAMA
KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 (Bernama) -- If you think that our wetlands have little
to do with our survival, think again.
Our wetlands act as the natural treatment plant for natural and man-made
pollutants. Not only that, it can even extract the nutrients from polluted water
or air.
So, what does this have to do with humans? Well, in filtering dirty air and
water, it ensures that humankind gets sustainable fresh water supply and breathe
in clean air.
Therefore, the destruction to our wetlands will definitely affect the
well-being and finance of the country.
Conservation of wetland ecosystems is essential not only for sustainable
fresh water supply but also for preserving biodiversity.
WHAT ARE WETLANDS?
Environmental scientist Dr Nather Khan Ibrahim says the term wetlands cover
mainly inland, coastal and marine natural habitats of permanent or temporary
water bodies or wet areas.
In Malaysia, the wetlands are mainly freshwater swamp forests, peat swamp
forests, coastal and estuarine mangroves, natural rivers and lakes, flood plains
(estuary), and coastal areas, says Dr Nather Khan, the former Malaysian and
Southeast Asian Coordinator for the then Asian Wetland Bureau.
The more recognisable uses for wetlands are for water transport, recreation,
tourism and fish breeding. However, Dr Nather Khan says the wetlands have
hundreds of other uses, values and functions.
"Each wetland has soil, water, plants and animals that are unique to it.
Each one can be classified into three, based on its products, functions and
attributes," he said in an interview with Bernama.
Wetlands classified under products produce forest resources such as
timber, medicine, resins, honey and fruits. They also provide wildlife resources
such as food, biodiversity, shelter and even for aesthetic purposes. Some
provide fish breeding grounds, while others provide forage resources,
agricultural resources and water supply.
VITAL FOR LIVELIHOOD
Meanwhile, those classified under functions are vital for our livelihood.
"These wetlands help in groundwater recharge and discharge, for flood control,
shoreline stabilization and erosion control."
Many would also be amazed to know that our wetlands play a big role in
protecting us from the adverse effects of climate change. They provide storm
protection, protect us from tsunamis, serve as windbreakers and even help in
microclimate stabilisation.
Wetlands classified for their attributes are those that play a role in
biological diversity, and are the habitats for rare plants and animals and is
unique to our culture and national heritage.
Tigers, tapirs and crocodiles can mostly be found in wetlands, like certain
species of flora that cannot be found elsewhere.
Therefore wetland affects every aspect of human life, including quality of
life, natural resources, food and water supply.
"It can also adversely affect our climate and even rainfall," says Dr Nather
Khan.
CHALLENGES IN PRESERVING OUR WETLANDS
There are six Ramsar sites in Malaysia with the largest one in the east
Malaysian state of Sabah,covering 78,000 hectares. The rest are the Kuching
Wetlands National Park (Sarawak), Pulau Kukup (Johor), Sungai Pulai (Johor),
Tanjung Piai (Johor), and Tasek Bera (Pahang).
Dr Nather Khan, who was part of the team that helped initiate and mobilise
all the necessary groundwork to designate and declare Tasek Bera (Bera Lake) as
Malaysia's first Ramsar Site, says there are several challenges to protecting
our wetlands.
Encroachment and illegal clearance by local settlers and communities and
poor enforcement by government agencies have been some of the issues, he
revealed.
However, he says two of the biggest problems in preserving our wetlands are
land clearance for plantations and aquaculture.
The plantations in question are mostly oil palm estates and mills. Clearance
of land for such purposes almost always produce massive amounts of pollution
from agricultural and chemical wastes.
"Constant discharge of oil palm mill effluents, which have high amount of
BOD (biochemical oxygen demand), COD (chemical oxygen demand), ammonia and
nutrient components affects water quality and soil characteristics of the
wetlands," says Dr Nather Khan.
Although wetlands in general can tolerate natural pollutants, it can only
accommodate a certain level of human interference.
"However, pollutants discharged en masse from oil palm mills can cause the
eutrophication of wetland water bodies," he says.
Eutrophication means an increase of mineral and organic nutrients that
promote proliferation of plant life, especially those like algae, which reduce
dissolved oxygen content and often cause the extinction of other organisms.
POLLUTION FROM OIL PALM ESTATES
The domino effect to this would be an alteration of the entire natural
wetland into a new type of habitat that is devoid of all its previous uses,
products, functions and attributes.
Dr Nather Khan says oil palm mills should not simply discharge any amount of
effluents to the Ramsar site or any other wetlands, as it is supposed to be free
from any human intervention and pollutants.
"But the companies involved may try to justify their actions by saying that
the pollutants are treated up to the level that is approved by the Department of
Environment."
Given the important role it plays to our livelihood, Malaysia must pay
greater heed to how much development it allows at wetlands areas. Is it worth it
to destroy truly sophisticated, valuable resources that have been part of our
heritage for thousands of years, in the name of short-term gain? The question
shouldn't be a difficult one to answer.
-- BERNAMA
