AGRICULTURE NEWS - According to the National Water Act of 1998, a wetland lies between “terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface, or the land is periodically covered with shallow water”.
It supports “vegetation typically adapted to life in saturated soil”. Wetland types include springs, mires, bogs, floodplains, vleis, estuaries and mangrove swamps.
A wetland improves water quality, helps control erosion and floods, stores water, regulates stream flow, and helps maintain biodiversity.
In drier months, groundwater is the only source of water for many ecosystems. This makes wetlands essential in an arid country such as South Africa.
However, an estimated 50% of our wetlands have been destroyed due to dam building, incorrect burning, overgrazing, invasive alien species, and the drainage of wetlands for agricultural cultivation or urban development.
