The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) this year recorded considerable progress in sustainable wetland management through the establishment of a policy and guidelines which led to the restoration of 250 000 hectares of wetland.
According to a recent report by EMA’s environmental education and publicity manager Mrs Amkela Sidange, wetland protection more than doubled. This was attributable to the implementation of various approaches.
“Riding on the wave of the fresh policy, strengthening wetland restoration was increased through the use of physical protection, legal and traditional approaches, thus scoring a resounding achievement of 252 855,15 hectares put under sustainable management against a set target of 100 000 hectares,” she said.
Some of the wetlands that were put under sustainable management include Guga in Lupane in Matabeleland North, Mpompini and Mazvide in Insiza in Matabeleland South, Nyamara in Chikomba in Mashonaland East, among other several high impact wetland protection schemes implemented this year.
EMA also successfully developed a strong national wetland management framework through the publication and launch of national wetlands management policy and national wetlands management guidelines.
Mrs Sidange said the national clean-up programme remained a major awareness drive to change mindsets to upgrade the poor solid waste management in the country.
There was strengthening of the value chain in solid waste management that resulted in the establishment of 19 waste transfer and sorting sites across the country.
A total of 27 638 tonnes of materials were recovered for recycling from waste against the target of 26 000 tonnes.
In terms of veld fires restriction, Mrs Sidange said the agency had its fair share of shocks and recorded a 60 percent increase in burnt areas.
“In the 2022 fire restriction period, a total of 1 730 265,36 hectares burnt area was recorded translating to a 60,92 percent increase from the 1 075 206,54 hectares burnt during the same period in 2021,” she said.
However, there was a decrease in the average burnt area per fire incident as it went down to 233,28 hectares from 263,92 hectares in 2021.
Mrs Sidange attributed the change to the gradual shift in the mindset of the public concerning the impacts of veld fires by making quick responses in putting out fires at the local level before it spreads and cause damage.
The recent reviewing and updating of the 2006 national fire strategy and action plan by the Government lead to an uptake of appropriate technology in fire management from a whole Government and stakeholders landscape approach.
However, the agency reported that illegal mining contributed more to land degradation, hence it wants all in the mining sector to regularise their activities and protect the environment.
EMA also indicated that land invasions and illegal allocation of land remained a challenge, especially in the urban wetlands hence resulting in over 248 offenses recorded.
“The agency is calling upon local authorities as owners of the land to judiciously ring fence wetland areas through constructive land use plans and water-tight local by-laws.
The same should religiously avoid allocation of land in wetlands for any human activity and for the public not to accept stands in wetlands when allocated them and not to implement any project without an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment certificate from the Agency,” Mrs Sidange said.
Meanwhile, EMA is setting up real-time ambient air monitoring points starting with Harare and its environs as a pilot project toward enhancing the use of technology in environmental management. – The Herald
