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Given the fragility of wetlands, their importance for water supply and the growing pressures to convert them to agriculture uses, there is an urgent need to try to achieve sustainable use of wetlands. This requires management regimes which help maintain some of the natural characteristics of wetlands while also allowing partial conversion to allow activities which can meet the economic needs of communities. A balance has to be struck between the environmental functioning of wetlands and their use for livelihood purposes.
 
 
Sustainable Wetland Management – some factors to consider
  
Sustainable wetland management regimes are found in various situations. Usually they involve minimal conversion of the wetland and limited degradation of the catchment. However, more interventionist regimes can be found which are sustainable where more complex water management regimes are applied.
In all cases sustainable management involves some form of multiple-use regime, with a particular pattern of land use in the wetland and catchment being vital for sustaining wetland functioning. The experience of this has been documented in many parts of Africa by CWEL staff and other researchers, and several CWEL projects are in progress seek to test the wider applicability of these methods. Overall, it is clear that an integrated wetlands and catchment approach is needed, seeing these two elements as linked parts of the landscape.
   
Links:  
  • EWRP Report on Sustainable Management
 Sustainable Management  
  • Sustainable Management of Wetlands 1: Wetland Use Practices
  • Sustainable Management of Wetlands 2: Linking Wetlands and Catchment Management