National Policy for the Conservation and Management of

Wetland Resources

Ministry of Natural Resources

1995
 FOREWORD

Wetlands, commonly known as swamps in Uganda, are a resource of

considerable importance, just like forests, rangelands, arable land, and
open water resources.

Wetland resources in Uganda have traditionally been utilized by the people

as a source of materials for construction, crafts, furniture, and as hunting
and fishing areas. Traditionally seasonal wetlands and margins of
permanent wetlands have been used for grazing cattle, growing crops and
as a source for domestic water. In addition, they are a major habitat for
wildlife resources. Despite these values, wetlands have hitherto been
regarded as "wastelands" and many have been reclaimed and degraded.

When the National Resistance Movement Government carne to power in

1986, it inherited a chaotic situation in the social, economic, political as
well as in environmental spheres, including wetlands. However, within
eight months after taking power, the Government took decisive steps to
halt the destruction of wetlands. In September 1986, Government issued
administrative guidelines to curtail the devastation of wetland resources.
In particular, a ban on large-scale drainage schemes was imposed until
such time that a more elaborate, scientifically proven and socially
harmonious policy was put in place. The purpose of this was to provide the
basis for environmentally sound management and rational utilisation of
the wetlands resources.

Over the last few years, the Ministry of Natural Resources, in consultation
with all stakeholders has prepared a National Policy for the Conservation
and Management of Wetland Resources. The policy has now been
approved by government. It is, therefore very gratifying that I present to
you the National Policy for the Conservation and Management of Wetland
Resources.

The policy aims at curtailing the rampant loss of wetland resources and
ensuring that benefits from wetlands are sustainable and equitably
distributed to all people of Uganda. In this respect, therefore, the wetlands
policy calls for:

 no drainage of wetlands unless more important environmental

management requirements supersede
 sustainable use to ensure that benefits of wetlands are maintained for
the foreseeable future;
 environmentally sound management of wetlands to ensure that other
aspects of the environment are not adversely affected;
 equitable distribution of wetland benefits;
 the application of environmental impact assessment procedures on all
activities to be carried out in a wetland to ensure that wetland
development is well planned and managed.

In order to put the policy goals and objectives into practice and to provide
a legal framework for implementing the policy, wetland related issues have
been adequately incorporated into the National Environmental Statute
1995. The Wetlands policy will be strengthened by a supplementary law
specifically addressing wetland concerns.

The government of Uganda would like to extend her sincere thanks and
appreciation to the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation
(NORAD), the Government of the Netherlands and IUCN-the World
Conservation Union for their financial and technical support which has
facilitated the formulation of the wetlands policy. The government is
further grateful to all the people of Uganda for their cooperation and
participation in formulation of the policy.

With the Wetlands Policy now in place, Government wishes to assure all
people of Uganda of her continued commitment to sustenance of wetlands
for the present and future generations.

The onus is now on us to ensure that we conserve the wetland resources in

the best way possible.
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Wetlands cover about 10% of Uganda’s total land surface area and provide
a wide variety of bio-physical and socio-economic functions. However,
these benefits are in jeopardy due to poor management practices. The
importance of wetlands to national development and the threats to their
continued existence were recognised in 1986, when the government
banned further large-scale drainage and instituted the National Wetlands
Conservation and Management Programme within the Department of
Environment Protection to analyse existing activities and assess the full
range of functions and values provided by wetlands. In addition, the
programme concurrently carried out a sensitisation and awareness
campaign and consultations to enlighten the public on the values and
functions of wetlands and the need for their conservation and sustainable
use.

Government has adopted the National Policy for the Conservation and
Management of Wetland Resources to promote their conservation in order
to sustain their values for the present and future wellbeing of the people

In support of this aim, the National Wetlands Policy sets five goals:

 to establish the principles by which wetland resources can be optimally

used now and in the future;
 to end practices which reduce wetland productivity;
 to maintain the biological diversity of natural or semi-natural wetlands;
 to maintain wetland functions and values;
 to integrate wetland concerns into the planning and decision making of
other sectors.

Three principles apply in pursuit of these goals

(a) Wetland resources form an integral part of the environment

and their management must be pursued in the context of an
interaction
 between conservation and the national development strategies and
activities.

(b) Wetland conservation can only be achieved through a

coordinated and cooperative approach involving all the concerned
people and organisations in the country including the local
communities.

(c) It is of vital importance for wetland conservation and

management that the present attitudes and perceptions of
Ugandans regarding wetlands be changed.

Thirty-six specific policy statements are made on how the goals will be
achieved, and a preliminary set of guidelines for wetland resource users is
annexed.

In particular, the policy aims at:

 ensuring no drainage occurs unless more important

environment management requirements supersede;
 ensuring that only non-destructive uses are carried out in and
around wetlands;
 ensuring that wetland developments are subject to environmental
impact assessment and audit;
 maintaining an optimum diversity of uses and users and consideration
for other stakeholders when using a wetland.

The need for enacting a national law to regulate the management of

wetlands resources is highlighted.

Finally, the role of the district authorities in controlling activities within

wetlands is defined and procedures to be followed in dealing with
applications from prospective wetland resource developers are outlined.
 OVERVIEW
Wetlands, commonly known as swamps in Uganda, are a natural resource
of considerable importance like forests, rangelands, arable land and
fisheries.

The term "Wetlands" refers to an area where plants and animals have
become adapted to temporary or permanent flooding by saline, brackish or
fresh water.

For our purposes these include permanently flooded areas with sedge or
grass swamp, swamp forest or high altitude mountain bog, as well as
seasonal flood plains and depressions without flow (‘Mbuga’ or Dambos).

All wetlands are characterised by impeded drainage, but vary in detail

depending on the period of flooding, depth of water, altitude, fertility of
the surrounding soil and other environmental factors. They are
nevertheless all characterized by having distinctive plants and animals
which are adapted to flooding.

Uganda’s rich endowment in wetlands, which accounts for about 10% of

the land area, is mainly due to her geological past. Many wetlands
originated with the upwarping of land associated with the formation of the
Rift Valley. The warping was spread over a wide area impending and even
reversing river flow.

The wide distribution of wetlands means a large proportion of the

population have access to the utilization of wetlands, resulting in extensive
degradation of the wetlands. This calls for particular urgency in their
efficient management and sustainable utilization.

Wetland resources in Uganda have traditionally been used by the people

as a source of building materials, for crafts, furniture and as hunting and
fishing areas. Seasonal wetland margins have been used for grazing cattle,
growing arable crops, and for domestic water. Wetlands provide important
habitat for wildlife.

The high productivity and economic potential of wetlands in Uganda has

barely been tapped and experience so far shows it will not be easy. Many
attempts at conversion to farmland have failed because fertility was
dependent upon an inflow of organic matter and sediment or on retaining
a high-water table.

1.0 FUNCTIONS AND USES OF WETLANDS

The functional aspects of wetlands can be divided into those which are
‘natural’ i.e., those which would exist even with no human manipulation
(referred to herein as ecological), and those which are created by human
exploitation (referred to herein as socio-economic). These functions are
itemised below and are not in order of importance because this varies
depending on location and many of the functions are inter-related.

1.1 ECOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS

(i) Maintenance of the water table

The impeded drainage allows the water to stay in one place long enough to
maximize infiltration This helps to recharge the water table. A high-water
table means that in the immediate surroundings of the wetland there is
access to water supplies for plants.

(ii) Prevention of erosion

If it were not for the retarded flow of water, the region downstream of the
wetland would receive the full erosive force of storm events, resulting in
soil and stream bank degradation.

(iii) Reduction in extremes of flow

Wetlands act like leaky dams, ponding back water when they receive it and
subsequently letting it flow through slowly. This results in maximizing the
area of land which can be kept moist for productive purposes, as well as
the lengths of time during the year for such activities.

(iv) Sediment traps

Material eroded from the surrounding catchment by rivers is sedimented
out when the flow is slowed upon entering a wetland. Sediment retention
prevents downstream resources of dams, farmland, rivers and lakes from
being silted up.

(v) Wildlife habitats and centres of biological diversity

Wetlands provide habitat for a variety of plants and animals, some of

which depend entirely on wetlands for their survival. They are natural
habitats for the Sitatunga and the Shoe Bill, among other species. The
Crowned Crane, Uganda’s national bird breeds in wetlands with a
preference for seasonal grass swamps.

1.2 SOCIO-ECONOMIC FUNCTIONS

(i) Plant products

Papyrus and similar plants have been traditionally harvested for everyday
necessities such as thatching, mats, baskets while the palms and smaller-
sized trees are used as structural building materials

(ii) Fishing

Wetlands harbor a substantial population of fish, which have traditionally

been caught as an important food item in many parts of Uganda which are
far away from the main lake fisheries.

(iii) Cattle grazing

The marginal parts of wetlands, where the soil is permanently or seasonally

moist, have for long been used as grazing areas for livestock especially
during the dry season.

(iv) Water supply

Wetland plants have the capacity to take out impurities from the water
thus filtering it. Because of this function, it has been possible for rural
communities to obtain a pure water supply at no cost.
(v) Nutrient and Toxin retention

Because wetland vegetation will strip out nutrients from the in-flowing
water, this protects the quality of water downstream. They also have the
ability to strip toxic substances from in-flowing water.

(vi) Tourism

The diversity of wetland biological communities has a potential for

earning tourism income.

2.0 WETLAND RESOURCE PROBLEMS

These problems derive from two sources. Firstly, there has been a
traditional lack of recognition of wetlands as anything but unusable
wastelands. In previous times when there was enough and easily
cultivatable land, the extra work required to exploit waterlogged areas was
too great to bother with. This has led to the second general problem, that
the exploitation has often been unbalanced, excessive, and inappropriate
for the resources. The results have frequently been an irretrievable loss of
an important source for sustainable production.

It is important to appreciate that the problems do not arise because of

development as such, but because of development which does not take all
the requirements of a community into consideration.

The following are among others, the specific problems

(i) Water loss

Wetlands have commonly been drained to enlarge the area of farmland.

But drainage of wetlands causes loss of valuable water which would
otherwise be available for plant growth.

(ii) Reduced runoff control

If drained, the ability of wetlands to control water flow is lost, as is also the
downstream erosion prevention, as well as the seasonal spread of the
moist areas for fast-maturing crops and for grazing

(iii) Soil deterioration

Exposure of wetland soils to drying can frequently lead to their

acidification, caused by the conversion of sulphide in the original wetland
to sulphuric acid. The soil can shrink upon drying and become too thin and
friable for good agriculture.

(iv) Traditional use loss

Traditional harvesting of natural vegetation or fishing and hunting as well

as a good water supply will be lost if wetlands are completely converted to
large-scale exploitation, such as cash crop farming which is a mono-culture
activity.

(v) Restricted ownership of the resource

Although conversion to cash agriculture may yield a great amount in the

short term, such production tends to be restricted to one or few investors,
while reducing or eliminating the various type of production which
previously went to many individuals in the community.

(vi) Reduced economic flexibility

Reducing the diversity of productive activity limits the options for adjusting
to new economic conditions when they occur later on.

(vii) Crop pest risks

Large areas of monoculture, such as rice growing, are always susceptible to

pest invasions. While this in principle might be dealt with by agricultural
control methods, these can be expensive and difficult to manage, and
beyond the capacity of the wetland developer.

(viii) Health problems

When people come into increased contact with static and unpurified
water, as in rice-growing or many other farming practices, an increase in
the incidence of bilharzia infections can be expected. This would have a
grossly debilitating effect on the community using the wetland calling for
unnecessarily heavy investment in health facilities that would have
otherwise been avoided.

3.0 GOVERNMENT RESPONSE

Although wetlands conservation and management is a shared

responsibility for all Ugandans, Government has a leading role to play. The
various functions and related problems of wetlands enumerated above are
critical for their sustainable use and the general socio-economic
development of the nation.

It is also an international responsibility of government to conserve

wetlands and sustainably utilize them under the Ramsar Convention on
Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat, of
which Uganda is a signatory and Contracting Party.

To carry out these shared responsibilities with respect to the country’s

wetlands, Government has outlined broad aims which are also supported
by a number of specific goals. Further, guiding principles will be presented
to govern the manner in which the National Policy for the conservation and
management of wetland resources will be implemented.

The National Policy on the Conservation and Management of the Wetland

Resources complements the goals and objectives of the National
Environment Action Plan (NEAP) process and sectorial policies including
those of fisheries, forestry, wildlife, water, land tenure and soils, among
others, as well as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International
Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat.

4.0 AIM
The overall aim is to promote the conservation of Uganda’s wetlands in
order to sustain their ecological and socio-economic functions for the
present and future well being of the people.

5.0 GOALS

In support of the above aim, government will strive to achieve the

following goals.

(1) Establish the principles by which wetland resources can be

optimally used, and their productivity can be maintained into the
future.

(2) End existing unsustainable exploitative practices in wetlands to

avert the decline in their productivity.

(3) Maintain a biological diversity in wetlands either in the natural

community of plants and animals or in the multiplicity of agricultural
activity.

(4) Maintain the functions and values derived from wetland

resources throughout Uganda.

(5) Promote the recognition and integration of wetland functions in

resource management and economic development decision making
with regard to sector policies and programs such as forestry,
agriculture, fisheries, wildlife and sound environmental
management.

6.0 KEY PRINCIPLES

The National Wetland Conservation and Management Policy, in pursuance

of the above goals, will be based on the following principles:

(a) Wetland resources form an integral part of the environment

and their conservation must be pursued in the context of an
interaction
 between conservation and the overall development strategies and
activities.

(b) Wetland conservation can only be achieved through a co-

ordinated and co-operative approach involving all the concerned
people and organisations in the country, including the local
communities.

(c) It is of vital importance for wetland conservation and

management that the present attitudes and perceptions of
Ugandans regarding wetland be changed.

These basic policy principles will be brought to bear through the strategies
described herein below.

7.0 SPECIFIC POLICY STRATEGIES

All the strategies herein are deemed to be of critical importance for the
success of this policy and are therefore not taken in order of priority.

7.1 Drainage of Wetlands

Uganda has experienced massive drainage of wetlands for human

development activities. The effects of this drainage are visible in many
parts of the country.

Strategy

i) There will be no drainage of wetlands unless more important

environmental management requirements supersede.

Explanation: Artificial large-scale removal or exclusion of water from

a wetland by whatever means constitutes drainage. This may be by
pumping, by excavation of water channels and perhaps combined
with excessive growing of trees. Other drainage means may include
building of dams upstream of a wetland. Such modifications should
be avoided.
7.2 Environmentally sound management

Wetlands, other natural resources and the environment are inter-related.

Most users of wetland resources do not take into account other aspects of
the environment, leading to adverse effects on the environment.

Strategy

(i) Only those uses that have been proved to be non-destructive to

wetlands and their surroundings will be allowed and/or encouraged.
These include water supply, fisheries, wetland edge gardens and
grazing.

Explanation: A key issue in the management of a natural resource is

whether its use causes adverse effects on the environment. For
example, the production of bricks from clay soil leads to
deforestation around the brick-making kilns, which is
environmentally degrading. However, the smoking of fish caught in a
wetland, using papyrus (which could be sustainably harvested) for
fuel may be environmentally sound and can reduce the exploitation
of fuel wood supplies in the area.

7.3 Sustainable use of Wetlands

National economic and social prosperity depends on the maintenance of a

high quality environment. There is therefore need to balance development
with conservation of the environment.

Strategies

(i) Wetlands may be utilized in such a way that they do not lose
traditional benefits presently obtained from them.

(ii) Any decision to use wetlands must consider the requirements of

all other users in the community.

Explanation: Sustainable use of a wetland is defined to mean

utilization which ensures that the products or services derived from
 that use are available at the same level for the foreseeable future.
For example, yields from fishing or harvesting of papyrus should be
set at a level that can be maintained for the foreseeable future.

7.4 Conservation of Wetlands

Wetlands are important habitats for a variety of biological resources, some

of which depend entirely on wetlands for their survival

Strategies

(i) Government will establish fully "Protected Wetlands Areas" of

important biological diversity.

(ii) Government may also establish certain wetlands which will

be used for partial exploitation such as research.

(iii) No modification, drainage or other impacts will be entertained

for the so-protected wetlands.

(iv) Parts of utilized wetlands will be set aside for conservation

activities and/or protected from modification, drainage or
exploitation

Explanation: Conservation of some wetlands to protect indigenous

species of plants and animals is essential for the future biodiversity
of Uganda. Many attributes of wetlands remain to be discovered and
therefore, complete protection of certain ecologically important
wetlands is necessary. Uganda already has an internationally
important wetland at Lake George, and also other important
wetlands outside the reserves, e.g. the edges of Lake Victoria need
to be protected.

7.5 Water supply and effluent treatment

Rapid population growth and the increasing rate of development require

sufficient and steady amount of water supply and discharge of effluent at
an affordable cost. Many urban settlements including Kampala City are
dependent on wetlands for water supply, treatment arid discharge of
effluent.

Strategy

(i) Any wetland serving as a source of water supply or receiving

effluent as part of a designated service to any human settlement
shall be declared a fully protected wetland from any encroachment,
drainage or modification.

Explanation: Wetlands can preserve the purity of water by their

filtration capacity. One of the important reasons for this policy arises
from extensive draining of wetlands for horticulture where these
areas also serve as water purification centres. Such drainage has led
to a dangerous situation where farmers and members of the
community may come into bodily contact with raw sewage during
farming and domestic activities.

7.6 Tenure and use

Wetlands have in many instances been referred to as "wastelands". In

order to elevate wetlands from this status and to recognise them as a
useful resource, there is need for the Government to continue having
control over their management, until such a time that developers have
understood the role and importance of wetlands in the environment.

Strategies

(i) All wetlands are a public resource to be controlled by the

Government on behalf of the public. There shall be no leasing of any
wetland to any person or organisation in Uganda at any given
moment and for whatever reason.

(ii) However, communal use will be permitted, but only if

environmental conservation and sustainable use principles and
strategies of this policy are adhered to. This communal use may be
terminated by the Government if it is found that the community
or
 any person has not adhered to the environmental obligations,
principles and strategies of this policy.

(iii) All future land tenure documents including maps and layouts will
indicate whether the area contains a wetland and will accordingly
exclude these wetlands from tenure.

(iv) The layout will further be advertised in the parish where land is
to be given out for a period of 30 days.

(v) Government will include wetland conservation considerations in

its national land use plan so as to maintain the ecological character
of wetlands.

(vi) Government will issue permits for wetland developers and

users. It also reserves the right, for the national and public good, to
issue a permit to a single authority for the management of an entire
wetland on behalf of the community.

Explanation: Wetlands belong to the public but contrary to what

might be expected from this ownership status, the Uganda Land
Commission has often leased wetlands. Government consequently
lost control of any protective or conservatory requirements. The
maps used for the leasing inadequately distinguished wetlands from
the surrounding dry land and the layouts were not widely advertized.
While there is a necessity to prevent the sequestering of wetland
resources into the hands of a few private lessees, this has to be
balanced against the legitimate needs of users who will not be
encouraged to use long term environmentally sound practices unless
guarantees of long term occupation exist and consequently there is
freedom from interference by conflicting users.

7.7 Recovery of previously drained wetlands

Many wetlands have been drained or modified especially in South west

and eastern Uganda. This has led to loss of many would-be valuable
resources before a full assessment has been carried out.
Strategy

(i) Government may require that some wetlands which have already
been drained, should be allowed to regenerate. For this purpose,
Government aims at restoring the soil hydration so as to re-establish
the wetlands vegetation as far as is ecologically possible. Such an
operation may range from rehabilitation of wetlands along distance
channels in the case of lease holder, to full rehabilitation after the
lease has been cancelled or eviction in case of users with no leases.

Explanation: Previous Government policies, especially in the colonial

and immediate post-colonial eras, allowed utilization of wetlands in
a "planned" way. However, no guidelines were given and in the
process that policy has been found to be unsustainable and led to
massive drainage especially in Kabale, Bushenyi and Iganga. New
schemes (rice) have tended to make people copy such massive
drainage and this has led to adverse effects.

7.8 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Monitoring

Development activities in general tend to impact upon natural resources

and the environment in various ways. Assessment and evaluation of such
impacts helps to minimize the economic and social costs of preventing
damage before occurrence as compared to restoring a degraded wetland.

Strategies

(i) There will be a requirement that all proposed modifications and

restorations on wetlands be subject to an EIA, the result of which will
determine whether such restoration or modification should proceed
and if so to what extent.

(ii) All planned new wetland developments will be subjected to

an EIA process to determine the required environmental controls.

(iii) Those which have been subjected to EIAs will continuously be

monitored to assess their impact on the environment and where the
 impact is detrimental, Government will require that such a
development be halted.

Explanation: An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a detailed

technical document which determines the legally binding
environmental management measures to be incorporated into an
economic development programme. EIAs are an essential
management tool of any environmentally sound development
planning in any society.

7.9 Developing public awareness

Very often wetlands are degraded because the public is either not fully
aware or do not appreciate the diversity of values and functions of
wetlands. Public awareness is therefore essential in creating a commitment
and positive attitude towards conservation and sustainable utilisation of
wetland resources.

Government will promote public awareness and understanding of wetland

resources and actively encourage participation of the public, local
government authorities and institutions. This recognises that
implementation of this policy depends on whether it is realistic in terms of
social acceptability and technical feasibility. In this regard the following
measures and strategies will be taken:

Strategies

(i) Design and deliver a National Public Awareness campaign on

wetlands resources in cooperation with other natural resource
sectors of the country and target such awareness at the wetland
resource users.

(ii) Ensure that the public awareness campaign is integrated with

other resources users’ campaigns both at district and national levels.

(iii) Disseminate awareness on the importance of wetlands

through leaflets, posters, radio, television and other media.
 (iv) Ensure wide circulation of guidelines for wetlands developers.

(v) Develop specific rural wetland development

demonstration projects with the aim of giving local
communities better management capabilities of wetland
resources.

(vi) Periodically monitor the public response on the need to conserve

wetlands in Uganda.

7.10 Research and Inventory

Demand-driven research is critical for understanding natural resources

such as wetlands. The fact that wetlands account for about 10% of the
total land area justifies the need for research and inventories to be
conducted. In addition, not enough research has been carried out on the
viability of wetland resources.

Strategies

(i) Carry out research into wetland values and functions so as to

determine their capacity to perform their various functions.

(ii) Carry out a full inventory of wetlands to determine their location,

status and human values.

7.11 Capacity Building

One of the reasons for the unabated degradation of wetlands has been the
inadequate human capacity to manage, understand and give appropriate
advice on wetland management. There are indeed very few cadres
knowledgeable in the efficient management of wetland resources.

Strategies

(i) Government will re-train extension staff of relevant line ministries

at District level to equip them with knowledge and skills to facilitate
their supervisory role.
 (ii) Government will also establish a mechanism and develop
capacity for carrying out Environment Impact Assessments on
proposed wetland development projects.

7.12 Promoting International actions

Wetland resources have trans-boundary significance. They serve as

habitats for migratory waterfowl and other fauna, and therefore inevitably
require regional and global approaches.

Strategies

(i) Government will promote and actively participate in regional and

international efforts to conserve and sustainably utilize wetlands and
encourage the involvement of other Countries in the conservation of
wetland resources.

(ii) Government will continue to promote her participation in the

Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as
Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar, 1971) and other conventions and
treaties which are related to wetlands conservation including
designating more areas as wetlands of International Importance.

(iii) In addition, Government will endeavor to promote the

conservation and maintenance of the ecological character of Lake
George as a wetland of International Importance.

7.13 Wetlands legislation and Institutional arrangements

Wetlands have been marginalised and regarded as ‘wastelands’. They

therefore, need a strong government institutional arrangement and a
sectoral national legislation in order to reverse the high rate of degradation
and ensure sustainable management. Since wetlands are a multi-sectoral
resource, there is need to create and establish an appropriate institutional
arrangement for their management.
Although there are sectoral laws that refer to some aspects of wetlands
such as water, or land or prevention of pollution, there is no
comprehensive law for management of wetlands as an ecological entity.

Strategies

(i) Enact a national law for regulating the management of wetland

resources

(ii) Encourage district authorities to make bye-laws for the proper

management of wetlands

(iii) Disseminate the broad guidelines provided herein, to district and

urban authorities, as well as wetland users, researchers, academic
institutions etc.

(iv) Establish an inter-ministerial policy implementation institution.

ANNEX 1

GUIDELINES FOR WETLAND RESOURCE DEVELOPERS

Introduction

These guidelines are intended for persons proposing to use wetlands, for
purposes of increasing the production of food and other goods and
services. All users of wetlands are reminded that wetlands are a national
resource and that the principles of environmentally sound management
and sustainable use, as declared in the National Policy for Wetland
Resource Management, must be applied to such use, and as defined
herein.

No Drainage of wetlands

Drainage may be defined as the artificial large-scale removal or exclusion

of water from a wetland, which lowers the water table so that it does not
rise to the soil surface. This practice radically alters the potential of the
wetland
and destroys its function as a natural regulator of water flow and storage.
It is recognised that in the interest of the other principles listed, some
modifications of water may be necessary.

Definition of Sustainable Use of Wetlands

Sustainable use is defined as the practice of wetland utilisation which will

ensure that the production of goods or services derived from that use, are
available at the same level in perpetuity. For example, yields from a fishing
activity should be set at a level that can be maintained for the foreseeable
future, i.e. sustainably.

Environmentally sound Management

A key issue in the management of any resource is whether that

management causes adverse effects on the environment.

For example, the production of bricks from clay soil in a wetland leads to
destruction and deforestation around the brick-making kilns, which is
environmentally damaging and therefore unsound. However, the smoking
of fish caught near a wetland, using papyrus briquettes or in semi-dried
form, for fuel may be environmentally sound and will avoid the depletion
of wood fuel supplies in the area.

Optimum diversity of use and users

Maintaining a diversity of traditional uses, and perhaps adding new uses

where appropriate, means that the diversity of fauna and flora are retained
in the wetland. This in turn will optimise the harvestable yield and ensure
flexibility for later adaptations to changing circumstances.

Development through Environment Impact Assessment.

An Environment Impact Assessment (FIA) is a detailed technical document

which determines the legally binding environmental management
measures to be incorporated into an economic development programme.
EIAs will be carried out by people knowledgeable in practical aspects of
wetland management and the relevant economic and sociological aspects
of the development. The administration of EIAs will be an important
activity of environmental management.

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES

It should be understood that these guidelines are an on-going process and

they will be supplemented as more information becomes available.

1. TRADITIONAL USES AND ACCESS RIGHTS

People living adjacent to a wetland may have been deriving benefits from
that wetland for many years. These benefits may include cutting of trees,
reeds, water supply, fishing, grazing etc. Any change of use of a wetland
must allow those traditional uses to continue, without loss or hindrance of
any other user.

2. WATER BALANCE ACTIVITIES

(a) Users of a wetland must ensure that the overall water balance
is maintained so that the surface does not dry out.

Ridging and trenching may be performed within the wetland,

allowing the growth of crops requiring drier soils, as long as the
water level does not fail below about 0.5 metres from the top of the
ridges.

A wetland shall under no circumstances be drained.

b) Bunding of fields to control the water level within the wetland

must similarly ensure that the water table does not fall below about
0.5 metres of the soil surface.

3. PAPYRUS HARVESTING

Harvesting papyrus is a traditional usage which should always be catered

for in the planning of multi-purpose use of wetlands. The frequency of
harvesting one area should not be greater than once in every 15 months,
otherwise the rate of growth and the amount which can be harvested will
decline

Separate areas should be set aside to be harvested in sequence, so that a

continuous supply of papyrus can be maintained.

On no account should papyrus be burnt, as doing so reduces the amount

which can be harvested.

4. NATURAL FISH STOCKS

The catching of those species of fish which normally inhabit wetlands

should be encouraged. However, to prevent the fish stocks from being over
fished, the mesh size of gill nets should not be less than 2 inches (stretch
dimension). Traditional catching methods using traps and spears need not
be restricted.

It is allowed that the populations of these fish can be increased by

constructing channels at the edges of wetlands and by excavating ponds.

5. FISH CULTURE AND FISH PONDS

(a) Fish ponds constructed within a wetland should be constructed

on the sloping sides of the wetland. The recommended practice is to
make use of gravity flow of water from the spring line which often
arises from the soils at the edges of wetlands. Waste water from the
ponds may be allowed to flow into the wetland. It is unwise to site a
fish pond low in a wetland, as seasonal flooding can cause loss of
stock and damage to bunding.

(b) No fish species may be cultured that is not indigenous to the

wetland without specific permission in writing from the
Commissioner of Fisheries in consultation with the Department of
Environment Protection (DEP).

(c) Wetland vegetation may only be cleared under approval from the
District authorities. Excavation of fish ponds into a wetland must
preserve a favourable ratio of surface area to perimeter of
 vegetation. Individual ponds should not exceed a size of 1000 square
metres (0.1 hectares), and there should be sufficient uncleared
vegetation separating the ponds for use by other activities.

6. GRAZING OF CATTLE

(a) Grazing of cattle in wetlands, particularly seasonal wetlands, is

permitted but this should be considered as a public amenity to all
those who require it, and fencing should not be erected to exclude
any user or group of users.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph 6 a, above, there will be a

maximum total number of cattle which will be able to use the
productivity of the wetland sustainably. This number will vary from
place to place, and so planners should seek specialist advice from
the ministry responsible for advice on the best numbers to be kept
in any particular wetland. They should also undertake to obtain the
cooperation of the cattle owners in this regard.

(c) The practice of annual burning of wetlands is banned unless

beneficial management from such activity is demonstrated to the
District authorities and is approved.

7. PROTECTION OF THE CATCHMENT AREA

It must be ensured that all areas upstream of a wetland are properly

managed to prevent wetland degradation. Wetland plants should also be
encouraged to grow at the edges of river banks.

8. CONTROL OF ACTIVITIES IN WETLANDS

The district authorities will control all activities in wetlands by regulating

brick-making, requiring that the brick-makers form a voluntary society and
be licensed in accordance with the National Policy on the Management of
Wetland Resources.
 PROCEDURES RECOMMENDED TO BE FOLLOWED BY PROSPECTIVE
WETLAND RESOURCE DEVELOPERS

Unless the total area to be developed is less than 0.25 hectares, or as may
be determined by the authorities, any developer shall provide an
appropriate Environmental Impact Assessment based on the following:

(a) Identify the wetland on a map at a scale of 1:50,000 and describe

the current use of the wetland.

(b) Describe the intended use of the wetland development by:

(i) Stating whether the use is for the benefit of an individual, a

private company, cooperative society or a community
organisation.

(ii) Providing a detailed description of the proposed activity

e.g. farming, fishing.

(iii) Demonstrating that the proposed activity benefits the

community, the economy and that it is both environmentally
sound and sustainable.

(c) The completed application and the E.I.A. should be sent to the
District authorities, and copied to the Department of Environment
Protection, after approval by the RC1, RC2, RC3 committees in the
area concerned.

(d) Any costs involved will be borne by the Developer.

PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED BY THE DISTRICT AUTHORITIES AFTER

RECEIPT OF AN APPLICATION

The District Resistance Council (DRC) should satisfy itself that the
application has been properly considered by the lower RCs and should
consult with the District Development Committee (DDC) on the
appropriateness of the application The DRC will as far as possible follow
the guidelines herein provided.
(a) Inspect the proposed site and assess the likely impact of
the development upon the environment, other users and the
surrounding communities.

(b) Evaluate the environment impact assessment.

(c) Consult relevant Government departments for their advice.

(d) Upon receipt of advice, the DDC may come to a decision and
recommend to the DRC that the proposal be accepted, modified or
rejected.

(e) The DRC may direct as to whom will bear the cost of the approval
or rejection of the proposal.

(f) The DRC may impose any other conditions as may be appropriate.

CRITERIA FOR THE DRC IN CONSIDERING APPLICATIONS

(1) At no one time should the entire area of a wetland be fully

developed.

(2) There should not be "too many" developments within a wetland.

(3) Some representative wetlands or parts thereof should be left

intact in a given area.

The local authorities will exercise reasonable discretion on the exact

area of wetlands to be developed in accordance with the National
Wetlands Policy and other prevailing policies on natural resources
and the environment.

Ministry of Natural Resources