wet land conservation programme

8/8/2019 Wet Land Conservation Programme

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WET LANDWET LAND

CONSERVATIONCONSERVATIONPROGRAMMEPROGRAMME


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DEFINITIONDEFINITION

According to most widespread definition,

wetlands are defined as: lands transitional

between terrestrial and aquatic eco-systems where the water table is usually at

or near the surface or the land is covered

by shallow water.


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NATIONAL WETLANDNATIONAL WETLAND

CONSERVATIONCONSERVATION

PROGRAMMEPROGRAMME The Government of India has been implementing the

National Wetland Conservation Programme ( NWCP ) in

close collaboration with the State/UT Governmentssince the year 1985-86. Under the programme, 115

wetlands have been identified till now by

the Ministry which require urgent conservation and

management interventions.

Conservation of wetlands in the country so as to prevent

their further degradation and ensuring their wise use for

the benefit of local communities and overall conservation

of biodiversity.


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FUNCTIONSFUNCTIONS

Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems.

They directly or indirectly support millions of people and

provide goods and services to them. Various goods and

services provided by wetlands are as follows:

Support all life forms through extensive food webs

Nutrients recycling

Water purification Floods mitigation

Maintenance of stream flow

Ground water recharging


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USES OF WET LANDSUSES OF WET LANDS

To control floods

To stablize the shore line

For waste water treatment They act as a buffer against the

devastating effect of cyclones


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MAJOR THREATSMAJOR THREATS

As per one of the studies, wetlands in our country aredisappearing at a rate of 2% to 3% every year.

Urbanization- increasing developmental pressure forresidential, industrial and commercial facilities.

Agricultural Activities- conversion of wetlands for paddyfields; construction of a large number of reservoirs,canals and dams; diversion of streams and rivers toprovide for irrigation

Deforestation-removal of vegetation in the catchmentleading to soil erosion

Pollution-unrestricted dumping of sewage, solid wastesand toxic chemicals from industries and households


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WET LANDS IN INDIAWET LANDS IN INDIA

India has totally 27,403 wetlands, of which

23,444 are inland wetlands and 3,959 are

coastal wetlands. Wetlands occupy 18.4% of the

countrys area of which 70% are under paddycultivation.


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Beneficial speciesBeneficial species

Wetlands are home to hundreds of species of

plants and animals. There is a wide variety of

animals that benefit from the wetlands.

The wetlands also become important because

many animals use the wetlands as a water

source. The bird population is one of the most

beneficial species. Over 80% of birds in the

United States are dependant on wetlands


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INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS FORINTERNATIONAL EFFORTS FOR

CONSERVATION OF WETLANDSCONSERVATION OF WETLANDS The Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in

1971, is an intergovernmental treaty which provides theframework for national action an international cooperationfor the conservation and wise use of wetlands and theirresources.

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands was developed as ameans to call international attention to the rate at whichwetland habitats were disappearing, in part due to a lack ofunderstanding of their important functions, values, goods

and services.

Governments that join the Convention are expressing theirwillingness to make a commitment to helping to reverse thathistory of wetland loss and degradation.


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THE MOST SERIOUSLYTHE MOST SERIOUSLY

THREATENED WETLANDS INTHREATENED WETLANDS IN

INDIAINDIA

Dal Lake, Logtak Lake, Wular Lake, Salt

Lakes swamp, Harike Lake, The Sunderban,Chilka Lake, Dahar and Sanj lheels, Kolleru

Lake, Southern Gulf of Kutch, Estuaries of the

Karnataka coast, Gulf of Khambhat, Kaliveli

Tank and Vedayanthhtu Estuary, The CochinBackwaters, DiporBheel, Wetlands in the

Andaman and Nicobar Islands


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CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

Research needs to be reoriented to focus on the checksand balances within headwater landscapes and thedownstream impacts of changes in wetlands.

There is a need for better data, especially from longer-term environmental monitoring, for better managementmodels and for a greater sharing and utilisation ofexisting information.

The effective management of headwater wetlandsrequires new policy frameworks, changes in landhusbandry, more sensitive technological intervention andthe full integration of wetlands into environmentalmanagement planning


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wet land conservation programme

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