WETLANDS
Taking steps to preserve a resource
W
orld Wetlands
Day is celebrated
every year on 2
February. This day marks the
date of the adoption of the
Convention on Wetlands on 2
February 1971, in the Iranian
city of Ramsar on the shores
of the Caspian Sea.
Since 1997, the Ramsar
Secretariat provides outreach
materials to help raise public
awareness about the importance and value of wetlands.
Wetlands for our Future:
Sustainable Livelihoods is the
theme for World Wetlands
Day in 2016. This theme is
selected to demonstrate the
vital role of wetlands for the
future of humanity and
specifically their relevance
towards achieving the new
Sustainable Development
Goals.
The South African National
Water Act, No 36 of 1998,
defines a wetland as “land
which is transitional between
terrestrial and aquatic systems
where the water table is
usually at or near the surface
or the land is periodically
covered with water, and
which land in normal
circumstances supports or
would support vegetation
typically adapted to life in
saturated soil”.
In the past wetlands were
seen as valueless wastelands
that needed to be drained or
converted to more useful land
use purposes. However,
wetland ecosystems provide a
range of ecological and social
services which benefit people
and the economy at large.
It has been estimated that
originally more than 10% of
South Africa was covered by
wetlands, however this figure
decreases significantly every
year owing to unsustainable
land-use practices.
It is estimated that more than
50% of South Africa's
wetlands have been
destroyed through drainage of
wetlands for crops and
pastures, poorly managed
burning regimes, overgrazing,
disturbances to wetland soils,
From page 35
moisture and thus making
conditions more favourable
for diseases that develop
under conditions of high
humidity.
K Remove infected plants
from the growing area (eg,
plants infected with a virus
disease).
K Sanitation is a good
preventative strategy, so
remove all plant debris
directly after harvesting, and
clean implements and
equipment well using a
household bleach.
K Conduct weed control, as
weeds compete with food
crops for nutrients, water,
sunlight and space. Some
might also harbour diseases.
PLANT DISEASE
balance of soil organisms,
from earthworms to bacterial
and fungal microorganisms,
that cycle nutrients.
K Use the correct spacing
between plants within a row
as well as between rows. For
example, if the spacing is too
narrow, the canopy remains
wet for longer, keeping in
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