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What is a wetland?
Wetlands are Wetlands are interface between

ecosystems
whose formation, processes and characteristics are determined by water.

Terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems .

It is an area of land whose soil is Saturated with moisture either permanently or for a long enough season every year to support aquatic plants.

Wetlands are not necessarily "wet" all year round They have been called the

'nature's kidneys'
because they cleanse our environment.

Facts About Wetlands

Wetlands are typically low-lying areas They can be natural or man-made They can be coastal or inland

Floodplains, swamps, marshes, mangroves deltas and lakes are some types of wetlands. A paddy farm is also a wetland

Wetlands can contain fresh water, salt water, or brackish (a combination of the two)
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How wetlands work

Contaminants and sediments are filtered. Provides critical wildlife habitat Cleaner water outflow

Ashtamudi (Wetland) Bhitarkanika (Mangroves)

Bhoj (Wetland)
Chandertal (Wetland) Chilika (Lake) Deepor Beel East Calcutta (Wetlands) Harike (Lake) Hokera (Wetland) Kanjli Keoladeo (National Park) Kolleru (Lake) Loktak (Lake) Point Calimere (Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary) Pong Dam (Lake) Renuka (Lake) Ropar Rudrasagar (Lake) Sambhar (Lake) Sasthamkotta (Lake) Surinsar Mansar (Lakes) Tsomoriri Vembanad-Kol (Wetland) Wular (Lake) Upper Ganga River (Narora to Brijghat stretch) 5

Some important wetlands in India

Importance of wetlands
Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems in the world, comparable to rain forests and coral reefs. They Play a significant role in maintaining a high level of biological diversity. They provide rich habitat for an immense variety of species of microbes,
Many species of birds and mammals rely on wetlands for food, water, and shelter, especially

plants, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish, and mammals.

during migration and breeding.

Uses of wetlands

water management

Think of a wetland as a huge sponge

Wetlands store water when it is in excess and release it to the ground during dry periods

This helps in recharge and discharge of groundwater

They assist in flood control

They reduce the momentum of water as it flows to a river or a stream, thereby reducing soil erosion

They are also important to the nutrient cycle.

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Hydrologic conditions can be modified by:

Nutrient availability Degree of substrate anoxia Soil salinity Sediment properties pH

Water Quality Chemical and Physical Properties

Water Quality Biotic Properties

Vegetation can control water conditions through:
Peat building Sediment trapping Nutrient retention Water shading Transpiration

Uses of wetlands
Wetlands plants and soil store carbon instead of releasing it to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Thus they help moderate global climate

environmental
Plants that grow in wetlands are very effective in filtering out water pollution Many wetlands remove pollutants from surface runoff and small streams.

Wetlands help retain sediments and increase soil fertility

Mangroves can protect shorelines from strong winds and can reduce the impact of hurricanes and tsunamis

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Storm Abatement

Wetlands act as buffer of storm surge and wave energy Sustain minimal damage Shelter inland property

Regional wetlands are integral parts of larger landscapesdrainage basins, estuaries.1

Erosion Control
Shoreline stabilization

Aerial parts of marsh plants dissipate wave energy

Both offshore and longshore transport of sediment are reduced Dense stands can create a depositional environment

Plants form dense root-rhizome mats, adding stability to the shore sediment

Particularly important during winter storms when aerial stems provide only limited resistance

Erosion Control
Planting marsh grass is a better alternative than:

Bulkheads Seawalls Rip rap

Gulf Intercoastal Waterway

Photo Courtesy of USACE, Galveston

Uses of wetlands

economic

Wetlands provide livelihoods by being a source of (Consumptive use )

Agricultural produce Craft materials timber production Medicinal plants Fishing Hunting

They can also be recreation spaces (non-consumptive uses )

Wetlands provide opportunities for humans to enjoy outdoor activities, such as canoeing, fishing, and bird watching.

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Other Values

Historical

Archeological finds suggesting the use of wetlands for a variety of subsistence and commercial uses

Scientific/Educational

Scientific research to further our understanding of the ecology, geology, chemistry, etc. of the Earth Source of community education

Cultural

Representation of a community heritage

Other Values, cont.

Aesthetics

High quality of life enjoyed by the general public and property owners

Threats to wetlands

Natural
Natural disasters like hurricanes and floods

Over grazing by wildlife

Drought

Threats to wetlands
1.Development
Draining out wetlands for construction

Anthropogenic

Damming them to form lakes or ponds

Diverting water flow

2.Pollution 3. Sand and gravel mining

4. Global warming
5. Acid rain

Ramsar convention

The Convention on Wetlands -- called the "Ramsar Convention" was signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971.

An intergovernmental treaty - embodies the commitments of its member

countries to plan for the "wise use", or sustainable use, of all of the wetlands in their territories.

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PROTECTING, SUSTAINING, AND RESTORING WETLANDS

The most notable feature of federal wetland protection policy today is that there is no specific, comprehensive national wetland law

Solutions for protecting wetlands

Legally protect existing wetlands
Steer development away from existing wetlands Use mitigation banking only as a last resort Require creation and evaluation of a new wetland before destroying an existing wetland Restore degraded wetlands Try to prevent and control invasions by nonnative species

Conservation Reserve and Wetlands Reserve Programs (1985 and 1990 Farm Bills)

Two important incentive approaches for protection and restoration of wetlands were parts of the 1985 and 1990 Farm Bills. Both the Conservation Reserve Program and the Wetlands Reserve Program pay farmers to take land out of production or set land aside for a designated time period.

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Water Bank Act

The Water Bank Program is another federally operated incentive approach geared largely to agricultural wetland protection, similar to the CRP, but initiated long before it, with the 1970 passage of the Water Bank Act (16 U.S.C. 1301). Landowners agree not to drain, fill, level, burn, or otherwise destroy wetlands and to maintain ground cover essential for the resting, breeding, or feeding of migratory waterfowl in exchange for annual payments.

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PROTECTING AND RESTORING WETLANDS in INDIA

Wetlands conservation in India is indirectly influenced by an array of policy and legislative measures.

Some Of the key legislation is given below :

The Indian Fisheries Act - 1857 The Indian Forest Act - 1927 Wildlife (Protection) Act - 1972 Water (Prevention and Control of Pol1ution)Act - 1974 Territorial Water, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and other Marine Zones Act - 1976 Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act - 1977 Maritime Zone of India.(Regulation and fishing by foreign vessels) Act 1980 Forest (Conservation Act) - 1980 Environmental (Protection) Act - 1986 Coastal Zone Regulation Notification - 1991

Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act - 1991

National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement on Environment and I Development - 1992 National Policy And Macro level Action Strategy on Biodiversity-1999 24

Legal Framework

As of now there is no specific legal framework for wetland conservation, management and their wise use. Draft regulatory framework for conservation and management of wetlands is being finalized to be notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

National Wetlands Conservation Programme(NWCP): Objectives

to lay down policy guidelines for conservation and management of wetlands in the country to provide financial assistance for undertaking intensive conservation measures in the identified wetlands; to monitor implementation of the programme; and to prepare an inventory of Indian wetlands.

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Role of Central Government

The Central Government is responsible for overall coordination of wetland conservation programmes and initiatives at the international and national levels. The Central Govt. is responsible for the following:

Providing financial assistance for implementation of the approved items of the programme; Providing technical expertise and know-how including training of personnel; Issue of detailed guidelines covering all aspects of management; Evaluation of the interventions made.

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Thank you

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