Wetlands: custodians of our cultural heritage
By Nasir Ali Panhwar
http://www.dawn.com/weekly/health/health.htm

The World Wetlands Day marks the date of the signing of the convention on wetlands held on Feb 2, 1971, at Ramsar, Iran. On that day, 130 states signed the Ramsar Convention pledging to ensure the wise use and conservation of wetlands. To support this broad obligation, contracting parties were expected to designate at least one wetland as "a wetland of intentional importance" and promote the wise use of wetlands in their territory, create wetland reserves, consult each other about implementing obligations, encourage research and exchange of data and promote training of personnel in wetland management techniques.

'Wise use' is defined within the framework of the Ramsar Convention as the sustainable utilization of wetland resources for the benefit of human beings in a way that is compatible with the maintenance of the natural properties of the wetland ecosystem.

Ramsar Convention defines wetland as an area of marsh, fen, peatland or water whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters. Thus, the term wetlands groups together wide range of inland, coastal and marine habitats which share a number of common features. Wetlands are further divided into 39 categories of which 30 are natural and nine are man- made. Most of the world's greatest civilizations, including the Indus Valley, were centred around rivers and their extensive floodplains. For centuries the growing concentration of people along the coasts of five continents have drawn upon tidal wetlands for their food supply.

Wetlands have special attributes as part of the cultural heritage of humanity as they are related to religious and cosmological beliefs, constitute a source of aesthetic inspiration, provide wildlife sanctuaries and form the basis of important local traditions.

The benefits of wetlands are the interaction of physical, biological and chemical components, such as soil, water, plants and animals which enable wetlands to perform multiple vital functions like water storage; flood protection and mitigation; reservoir of biodiversity, recreation and cultural values; shoreline stabilization and erosion control; ground water recharge and discharge; water purification through retention of nutrients; ground water replenishment; sediments; and climate change mitigation, particularly rainfall and temperature.

At present, these functions are under serious threat as wetlands are drained, dredged and filled, embankments are built, water supplies are diverted and coastal wetlands converted into aquaculture. It is not only wildlife that has suffered but also the million of people worldwide who derive wide range of benefits from wetlands.

The World Wetlands Day was celebrated for the first time in 1997: every year, governments, NGOs and groups of people undertake this opportunity to initiate activities aimed at raising public awareness of wetlands' values and benefits. The theme for this year's World Wetlands Day is 'Wetlands: water, life and culture'.

Wetlands are the storehouse of cultural heritage, which takes many forms, from human-made physical structures and artifacts, palaeontological records in sediments and peat, and traditional water and land-use management practices, to places of religious and mythological significance and the intangible 'sense of place' felt by many for these wild and often mysterious sites and their wildlife.

Wetlands are extremely diverse, whether they are ponds, marshes, coral reefs, peatlands, lakes or mangroves, they all share one fundamental feature. The complex interaction of their basic components - soil, water, animals and plants - fulfil many functions and provide numerous products that have sustained humans over the centuries. Throughout its history, the work of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands has emphasized the importance of people in conservation efforts: their livelihoods, their welfare, their traditions and beliefs, their leisure as well as their work - not only their economic and social well-being, but their 'cultural heritage' as well. It is increasingly observed that there is much common ground in the biodiversity and heritage management of wetlands.

The relationship between wetlands and people extends far beyond the value of the natural resources or the vital services of wetlands. It includes a rich cultural heritage that has evolved over time, a heritage that is worthy of much greater attention by the wider wetland community concerned with the conservation and wise use of wetlands.

The extent and diversity of this heritage should not be underestimated, as there is enormous wealth and diversity of cultural heritage recorded in these wetlands. It takes many forms, from man-made physical structures and artifacts, palaeontological records in sediments and peats and places of special religious significance, to traditional water and land use management practices that have sustained human population and crafted unique wetland landscapes. Many of the traditional techniques people have evolved to manage wetlands for exploitation, whether it be to extract salt, grow rice, make use of mangrove trees, harvest fish or cut reeds, have stood the test of time as techniques that both sustain people and conserve wetlands.

Since the dawn of civilization, people around the world have lived in close contact with wetlands. This close and longstanding relationship has resulted in the evolution of strong cultural links and structures that have developed from social dynamics. Water and wetlands have long shaped how people live their lives. The traditional links of people to their wetlands have determined customs and beliefs that still continue to influence the attitudes of contemporary local societies.

However, in most parts of the world, these linkages have weakened as increasing technological solutions to water and food security and an increasingly urbanized population, have led to the widespread deterioration and loss of wetlands. Regrettably, there is still insufficient recognition by many decision-makers and wetland managers of the important role that socio-cultural aspects can and should play in the sustainable management of wetlands.

Maintaining these successful techniques, wherever possible, safeguard the cultural heritage associated with the wetlands as well as the wetlands themselves. The retention of the techniques as well as the traditional knowledge that lies behind them is widely recognized as key tool in the conservation of biological diversity.

For many urban populations the immediacy of the wetland relationship has been lost, but this cultural heritage represents a link with the past and the wetland cultural landscape still provides that intangible 'sense of place' that draws the urbanite to wetland areas all over the world and inspires artists and writers alike.

Wetland destruction and the loss of traditional management practices means not only the loss of the more tangible wetland values such as flood control, groundwater replenishment, nutrient cycling etc, but also the loss of wetland cultural heritage.

Pakistan is blessed with a variety of wetlands ranging from coastal mangroves and mud flats on the Indus Delta to the glacial lakes of high Himalayas. These wetlands are not only biologically diverse, they are also part of the rich cultural heritage of the country. They have great ecological, economic, commercial and socio-economic importance and values. However, there is no extensive database or inventory available on the state of wetlands in Pakistan.

As a signatory of the Ramsar Convention, Pakistan has declared eight wetlands as Ramsar sites including Haleji, Keenjhar and Drigh in Sindh; Taunsa Barrage, Ucchali Lake complex and Chashma Barrage in Punjab, Tanda Dam and Thanedarwala Lake in NWFP.

The country has yet to formulate a proper strategy for the conservation of wetlands. There is not only need to devise policy for the development of these wetlands but also concrete efforts are required to tackle the increasing threats faced by this fragile ecosystem. The dominant threats include growing salinity, aquatic vegetation, chemical pollution, hunting and shortage of fresh water. These factors have made the conditions of the wetlands more vulnerable. There are still a number of wetlands that meet the Ramsar criteria in the country such as Manchar, Hamal and Langh lakes.

However, the condition of the existing Ramsar sites is deteriorated day-by-day, which needs to be improved. Unfortunately in Pakistan, management of the wetlands does not fall in the purview of any single organization. The lack of coordination and integrated approach between the agencies responsible for the management of wetlands also needs to be replaced with the pragmatic and holistic approach and this could only be possible with major institutional reforms.

Keeping in view the fact that the rural economy and human well being are closely dependent upon wetland resources, the long standing issue of fishing rights of the indigenous people should also be taken into consideration. The tourism sector of the country has not harnessed the immense potential of the varied topography and scenic beauties of the wetlands to generate sufficient revenues.

With appropriate management, wetlands could become valuable assets, providing a productive, multi-purpose, sustainable and renewable resource to meet the needs of our increasing population, and yet they can retain the integrity of an aquatic ecosystem and provide refuge to wildlife.