-On the 2nd of February 2018, the Edgewood Environmental Forum took the initiative of celebrating the World Wetlands Day on the Edgewood Campus.
-Importance and benefits of wetlands, include:
South Africa is a water scarce country, and the water in many streams is polluted. Both droughts and floods are common. In this regard, wetlands play a vital role by removing toxic substances and sediment from water, while also improving downstream water quality and the overall health of communities.
Wetlands are able to reduce the severity of droughts and floods by regulating stream flow. They also help to purify water and provide habitat for many different plants and animals. Besides these indirect benefits to society, wetlands provide many direct benefits in the form of resources such as fibre for making crafts as well as recreational opportunities. However, lack of community awareness on the value and benefits of wetlands often leads to their transformation by humans (Department of Environmental Affairs, 2018).
-On this day, the Edgewood Environmental Forum organisation interviewed a variety of people form the Edgewood campus, ranging from students, staff members (academic and professional), mentors and workers. They were interview in order to “crack” what they understood or know about the concept World Wetlands Day. This was very interesting as people gave out their different views on the issue at hand. This was done through a video and photo taking.
The event was Chaired by the Finance and Travelling Organiser of the Organisation, Mr Luthando Fundzo.
