GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - The World Wetlands Day campaign helps reflect on the significant role played by wetlands in the ecosystem.
Wetlands help reduce the impact of flooding, act as a sponge when it rains by holding and releasing water to rivers, they store carbon and are home to many plants and animals, and provide a sense of place and refuge for birds. They are also important because they protect our shores, absorb pollutants and improve water quality.
The Ramsar site in the Wilderness section of the Garden Route National Park (GRNP) is one of 17 in South Africa.
The Wilderness and Swartvlei lake systems form the core conservation area of the GRNP Wilderness, which comprises three lakes: Rondevlei, Langvlei and Eilandvlei. The site in Wilderness includes a dune system with associated thickets, woodlands, marshes and reedbeds.
Important numbers of locally migrant resident birds, as well as staging and breeding birds, use the site, which supports 285 native plant species, 32 fish species (several of which use the site as a nursery area), and a diverse marine invertebrate fauna. The lakes provide a major form of flood control.
How can you help protect wetlands?
• By planting indigenous plants especially near a wetland could increase wetland protection.• By not applying fertilisers or pesticides within 8m could also be protecting a wetland as this area would serve as a buffer zone.
• Join estuary exploration initiatives/ talks.
• Join clean-up initiatives.
