The City of Johannesburg recently completed a wetland audit, focusing on areas facing severe development pressure and those where wetlands play a key role in human safety and well-being. The audit was undertaken in preparation for the commemoration of the Wold Wetlands Day.
The City acknowledges the rapid loss of wetlands throughout the metropolitan area, and the critical need to protect and conserve wetlands.
The Audit of Wetlands and Wetland and Riparian Protection and Management Plan within the City of Johannesburg’, found that there is a total of 13 407ha wetland areas remaining, although not all are in a healthy condition.
Most wetland areas that have survived are found in the less-developed areas of the City, to the far north and south, although some wetlands have survived in the heart of built up areas such as Houghton and Melrose.
Wetlands occur off stream, and instream – such as in the Klipriver which has vast reedbeds which help to significantly improve the water quality in the river.
The Member of the Mayoral Committee for Environment and Infrastructure Services in the City of Johannesburg, Cllr Mpho Moerane, says the municipality will use these findings to inform planning and urban development decisions facing the City and will help to ensure that no development takes place within wetlands or their buffer zones which are essential to their survival.
“Healthy wetlands also help to improve water quality by trapping sediment and removing pollutants from the runoff water as it moves through the wetland vegetation”, says Cllr Mpho Moerane, MMC for Environment & Infrastructure Services.
Today, 2 February 2021, is World Wetlands Day and the theme for this year is ‘Wetlands and Water-Inseparable and Vital for Life’.
Wetlands play an important role in the water cycle and in the lives of the community and are closely linked to our river systems. Such benefits include helping to reduce flooding by slowing down water flow and absorbing water, acting as sponges and slowly releasing water in more manageable flows.
They further contribute to climate change protection by trapping carbon and support a range of economic activities such as reed harvesting and food production, he concluded. Today, those wetlands which remain are increasingly vulnerable and threatened by the increased intensity of stormwater runoff from urbanized catchments as well as increased pollutant loads. Wetlands which have been transformed are often overlooked in the development process, as they are no longer easily identifiable.
The City is committed to the improved protection and sustainability of wetlands and associated water resources, and to promoting an integrated approach to development and protection of the environment.
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Issued by the City of Johannesburg
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