Cape Town: South Africa celebrated the World Wetlands Day 2024. In celebration city’s Deputy Mayor and Member of Mayoral Committee for Spatial Planning and Environment – Alderman Eddie Andrews joined the staff from the city’s Biodiversity Management Branch.
The City’s River Wardens and a host of Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) staff who specifically focus on protecting green infrastructure and natural systems at the Rondevlei section of the False Bay Nature Reserve were also present during the celebration.
The celebration ceremony began with the insightful sessions on the crucial role that wetlands play in enhancing wellbeing of human. The group also took the opportunity to clear invasive species at the wetland.
Councillor Eddie Andrews said that their staff could not stress enough how restoring and preserving the precious wetland ecosystems plays a vital role in ensuring the overall wellbeing of the surrounding communities and the city.
The Deputy Mayor also expressed, “This morning I visited the Rondevlei section of the False Bay Nature Reserve and was hosted by our dedicated River Wardens.”
“I saw true environmental stewardship as we collectively cleared invasive alien species at Rondevlei which clogs up the water systems and invades the wetlands due to the high nutrient load in urban systems,” said Andrews.
He added, “The River Wardens are well versed in environmental conservation and I am very grateful for the hard work that all these EPWP workers are putting in to ensure that our waterways and wetlands in the False Bay, Zandvlei and Table Bay Nature Reserves are taken care of.”
As per the reports, out of 791 wetland ecosystem types of South Africa:
- 48% are critically endangered
- 12% are endangered
- 5% are vulnerable
- 35% are classified as least threatened
All these make wetlands the most threatened ecosystems in South Africa.
The City of Cape Town’s River Wardens are based at the Table Bay, Zandvlei and False Bay Nature Reserve. The primary objective of the River Warden Programme is to enhance ecosystem health in the city’s catchment areas.
Moreover, the programme champions the eradication of invasive plant species, facilities rehabilitation activities along the city’s waterways and collection and removal for litter.