By Gillian McLaren
The second of February every year is the day to focus on
wetlands and what they mean for our environment. On a field trip to Dullstroom
I asked conservationists from the Endangered Wildlife Trust to explain how
wetlands purify and protect our precious water.
In celebration of World Wetlands Day, a team from EWT was showing
us around the Lakenvlei area. Stepping gingerly from grass tussock to tussock,
we tried valiantly to keep our shoes dry. Only the experienced EWT field
workers, who know just how WET the Lakenvlei wetlands actually are, wore
sensible high Wellingtons. They strode boldly through the damp grassland,
smiling at our tentative steps, knowing that we were to face much deeper water
as our exploration of the fascinating area progressed.
The beauty of the wetlands immediately drew me as I saw the
variety of grass species undulating in the wind, like the skirts of swaying
maidens. A great diversity of exquisite flowers decorated the fields. I inhaled
deeply to savour the sweetness and freshness of the air.
From the perimeter of the wetland area into the peat area, we took
soil samples using an auger (a type of hollow drill), to see the increase in
both water and organic content. Peat takes thousands of years to develop
and once it has been destroyed, it can never be rehabilitated. I was amazed to
hear that the peat in Lakenvlei is 11 300 years old. Imagine that it has been a
stable wetland for all those centuries. Applications have been made to mine in
the area. If they succeed, those thousands of years of stability, beauty and
dynamic equilibrium will be decimated.
Listening to the field workers made me realise afresh the crucial
importance of wetlands to the quality and amount of precious water in South
Africa. Like a sponge, wetlands absorb water and then release it during dry
periods. They reduce the impact of floods and high water levels. It is
interesting to note that the wetlands take up CO2 and store it as carbon, so
greenhouse gasses are reduced. When the wetlands are destroyed, carbon is
released and so increases global warming.
We had our binoculars poised in case wattled crane, grey crowned
crane or blue crane made their appearance. Each of these much loved species
is dependent on wetlands for their survival. Destroy the wetlands and we
destroy them. A pair of grey crowned cranes was spotted! There was much
excitement and joy to see their pin-cushion heads bobbing up and down as they
foraged.
Birdlife in the area is prolific. I was fascinated by the ungainly
flight pattern of the male long-tailed paradise-whydah. Amazing that he can fly
at all, trailing that banner. Many other creatures make their homes in the
wetlands. I saw a small, pretty frog, a tiny crab, many dragonflies, some orb
spiders and I was bitten by ants when I tried to rest on some rocky ground.
Some of the threats to our wetlands include the drains which
farmers dig to dry the areas in order to farm them. This drying releases CO2 as
well as all the minerals which were stored. Dams have to be carefully placed or
they can negatively impact wetlands. While grazing and burning are important to
clear away dead matter, they must be done with consideration, care and
restraint.
The field workers at EWT impressed me with their passion, their
dedication and their zeal for conserving our valuable wetlands. What can I do?
Each of us can be aware of wetlands near us, however small they may be and
report any dumping of waste or building material which occurs there. We should
build or buy homes which are above the flood-line, as below flood-lines are
actually wetlands. “Each of us can make a difference,” says Kerryn Morrison, a
longstanding member of EWT. “The cumulative impact of small contributions
ensures we will have wetlands for future generations.”
I waded into the clear,
clean water right up to my thighs. It was great fun and one of those sublime
moments where I revelled in the stillness, the coolness of the water and the
sight of an African snipe in the grey, overcast sky. My hiking boots were, of
course, totally submerged and I smiled at how quickly we had turned from
hesitant city slickers into aspirant field workers, for a day.
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