Teresa Yong, New Straits Times 3 Feb 08;
MALAYSIA has lost almost half of its mangroves over the past four decades and this alarming trend will continue if we do not recognise the grave implications. Malaysian wetlands shrunk to 564,970 hectares four years ago from the estimated 1.1 million hectares of mangroves in 1966, said Sarala Aikanathan, Wetlands International Malaysia director.
After the tsunami disaster in December 2004, the Malaysian government recognised the important role of coastal peat swamps in reducing the impact of waves and the other benefits. It ordered mangrove replanting schemes to begin in all states.
“Last year, the target was to plant 200ha of mangroves in the peninsula,” Sarala said.
The Johor floods last year accounted for RM50 million losses. Two years ago, 90,000 people were evacuated and last year, over 34,000. Sarala attributed the severity of the floods to the loss of wetlands in the state.
Drainage of peatland in Johor over the years for planting pineapples caused land subsidence. This caused many areas to be below river levels.
“While we cannot prevent major floods, we can ensure that we benefit from the flood protection that wetlands offer. Rivers, lakes and marshes slow down and retain floodwaters.
“The broader implications of concrete chanellisation of our rivers and draining our marshes and natural flood plains need to be understood in our urban planning.”
Peatlands are not just useless marshes. Increasingly, environmental researchers and scientists have found it to be the greatest carbon stores in the ecosystem.
Though it covers only three per cent of the Earth’s land area, it accounts for about a third of the global soil carbon and 70 times the current annual global emissions from fossil fuels.
“In Southeast Asia, peatlands account for 2.7 million hectares or about 10 per cent of the land area, with an estimated carbon storage of 2,000 mega tonnes of carbon.
“Burning of peatland and drainage activities have led to massive increases in greenhouse gases (GHG).
“It’s estimated that emissions from degraded peatland alone emit 600 million tonnes, accounting for eight per cent of the total global GHG emissions,” Sarala said.
Sewage treatment plants, animal farms and factories continue to cause water pollution.
In 2006, 18,956 point source pollution incidents were reported. Pollution from sewage treatment plants was 9,060 (47 per cent) and manufacturing, 45 per cent.
Non-point sources of water pollution would include agricultural activities and the run-off.
“Wetlands are highly undervalued and often taken for granted by people. What is misunderstood and undervalued are the multiple ecological, social, psychological and economic functions they serve.”
Consider these facts:
• Wetlands supply us with fish (including shellfish) and plants (including fruits, seeds and vegetables).
• One billion people rely on fish as their main or sole source of protein and many more consume fish regularly.
• Rice is the most important at a global level, providing 20 per cent of the world’s dietary energy supply.
• Declining fish stocks in Malaysia endanger the lives of birds, the bigger fish and mammals.
• Our wetlands, if well managed, will continue to provide food to keep us healthy — but there are many human actions that negatively affect the capacity of wetlands to continue to provide for us.
• Inland wetlands (rivers, lakes, ponds, marshes, etc) perform a vital function in filtering and purifying fresh water, rendering it “clean” for human consumption.
• Over one billion people lack access to clean water supplies. Wetlands can only provide us with clean water if we keep them healthy through effective management.
• Rubbish, especially plastics in water are dangerous to birds, fish and mammals of the wetlands.
Sarala said the wetlands were also a source for medicines.
“Many wetlands plants and animal species have been used in traditional medicines for millennia and this continues until today.
“They are used in homeopathic medicines, an ever-growing industry in developed countries, and play a role in the development and production of modern medicines.
“However, over-collection, destructive harvesting techniques, habitat loss and alteration challenge the capacity of wetland species to continue to fulfil their roles,” Sarala said.
The World Health Organisation estimates that depression-related illnesses will become the greatest source of ill health by 2020. Physical inactivity in urban populations is also contributing to other diseases.
“Urban green spaces, which include rivers, lakes and reservoirs, provide space for recreation, education and relaxation.
“The value of green spaces in improving the mental and physical health of urban populations is gaining greater recognition.
“Current studies indicate measurable physical and psychological benefits from regular contact with urban green spaces.
“So urban wetlands have a key role to play,” Sarala emphasised.
There are projects funded by the United Nations Development Programme that look into implementing an integrated management plan in peat swamp forests in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.
“We need to review the role of wetlands in Malaysia and the role they play in flood prevention.
“Protection of the remaining peatlands and restoration of degraded peatlands provide a very cost-effective way to reduce GHG emissions in the region.
“This was recognised at the recent United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and different financial mechanisms are now being studied to compensate nations to protect and conserve the peatlands,” she added.
What is a wetland?
IT is an area of marsh, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or saltish, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres.
Wetlands can be:
• marine (coastal wetlands, including coastal lagoons, rocky shores, and coral reefs);
• estuarine (including deltas, tidal marshes, and mangrove swamps);
• lacustrine (wetlands associated with lakes);
• riverine (wetlands along rivers and streams); and,
• palustrine (meaning “marshy” — marshes, swamps and bogs).
Threats to peatlands
• Pollution, excessive water abstraction, poor sanitation, over-harvesting and wetland destruction all reduce or destroy the capacity of wetlands to provide food for human consumption and environmental services.
• The wetlands act as filters or traps for many pathogens. When water flows through wetlands, pathogens lose their viability or are consumed by other organisms.
• Man-made wetlands are being constructed in urban and rural areas to perform this function. It thus prevents untreated sewage reaching natural wetlands that are used as an immediate source of drinking water.
World Wetlands Day is celebrated each year on Feb 2, It marks the anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) in Ramsar, Iran, on Feb 2, 1971. There are five Ramsar sites in Malaysia and the country’s largest lake, Tasik Bera in Pahang, was the first. Together with Tanjung Piai, Pulau Kukup, Sungai Pulai in Johor and the Kuching Wetlands in Sarawak, they cover 55,355ha. The theme for the 2008 World Wetlands Day is ‘Healthy Wetlands, Healthy People’.
