Wetlands for wildlife, communities and economies

Today and tomorrow our blog focuses on examples of the value of wetlands for communities, sustainability and socio-economics.

Wetlands, in good condition (and sometimes even in pretty poor condition) provide areas that are often rich in biodiversity. They are full of opportunities for specialist animals and plants to exploit, with arrange of both aquatic and terrestrial habitats and the important bit in between on the edge. 

But of course the simple fact that wetlands provide a source or store of water makes them attractive, not only to animals but to people also - water to use for drinking, washing, industry or agriculture. Wetland-based soils are often rich in nutrients too and wetland areas have in the past been seen as low value land and an opportunity to expand agricultural production through drainage, though I hope that approach is becoming less prevalent as we become more aware of the important role wetlands play in our own lives. Not least wetlands are often able to store water, able to absorb flooding at high water levels and protect land around them. This can even be designed into new or restored wetlands, like the wetland below in the Netherlands , designed specifically to aid flood protection of surrounding agricultural land.

pic via Twitter (@everydaycormack) 

A simple message from RAMSAR on the value of wetlands 

Wetlands that have been degraded, like bogs through industrial peat harvest, provide an opportunity to perform an important role in future through their restoration. Putting back a wetland system akin to an earlier stage in bog development for example as a fen or lake perhaps. These have the capacity to hold water, to develop important habitats like sedge swamps, reedbeds, shallow open water and fringe woodlands. These are the kinds of habitats we might see result from the development of a Wetland Wilderness Park.

early stage wetland rehabilitation/restoration on cut-away bog in the mid-Shannon region, Ireland

Wetlands attract birds and around the world these birds and other wetland animals often form a resource for people, often for hunting but in areas where hunting is less important for food, wildlife forms an important amenity and tourism attraction. Interaction with nature bringing quality of life for local people and bringing visitors which bring in economic activity.

One example from Scotland, a country of similar scale and population size and a near neighbour reports that The Scottish Government in 2010 found that wildlife tourism contributed £276 million and 2,763 FTE jobs supported by spending by tourists related to wildlife. The government nature agency there, Scottish Natural Heritage, estimated that visitor spending from nature-based tourism in the country is £1.4 billion per year, supporting 39,000 jobs in the Scottish economy. Variable figures no doubt resulting from slightly different parameters but showing the magnitude of the economic value of nature-based tourism.

A final and inspirational look at a project to re-build communities and nature through wetland restoration war ravaged country is in this short film from Nature Iraq - hard not to be moved by the power and beauty of this wetlands and of the people that depend on it:

 More on wetlands and socio-economics tomorrow...