ECO 528 LECTURE’S NOTE

RAMSAR CONVENTION: The convention mission is the conservation wise use of all
wetlands through local and national actions, and international cooperations as a contribution
toward sustainable development throughout the world, the convention was adapted in the
iranian’s city of RAMSAR in 1971 and came in to force in 1975.
RAMSAR site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the
RAMSAR convention.
Wetlands as defined by RAMSAR convention are areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water whether
natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water tha is static flowing, fresh, brackish or
salt including areas of marine water will depth at which at low tides do not exceeds 60m.
Wetlands are lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic system where the water is usually
or near the surface or the lands is covered by shallow water.
Wetlands is often a region of lands that is entirely covered by water wheither year around or just
during specific season.
Nigeria has a large number of sites designated as wetlands which covered about 2,988,000
hectares of terrestrial life which are categorize as wetlands while the fresh water swamps and
mangrove region of the wetlands environment are above 2,130,000 and 85,800 hectares
respectively the wetlands of Nigeria include the followings; Lake chad wetlands,Headejia
wetlands, Konadusu flood plains, Oguta lake, Upper onashi forest, Nguru lake, Forge islands,
Nigeria fringing flood plains, Sokoto and Rima valley, Markudi wetlands, Lokoja wetland, Jebba
wetland, Lowez Kaduna, Lowez Ogun rivers, Yewa creeks, Badagny creeks, Olagie Lagoon,
Leki Penisula, Lagos Lagoon, Apoi creek, Baturiya wetland, Dagona sanctuary Lake.
The location, economic and ecological importance, human activities of some of these wetlands
are here by highlighted.
Apoi creek forest in Bayelsa is a forest reserve with features of tidal creeks low land swamp
forest located in the central Naija Delta and compose mainly of marshes, mangroves forest, and
fresh water swamps the forest is dense and rich in several ecologically and economically
valuable flora and fauna species.
The site support the endangered Naija Delata red coloumbus monkey and serve as good ground
for fishes and contribute to the livelihood of the locals through provision non-timber forest
product, angricultural land and fishes.
Baturiya wetlands this is located in kano. It’s a natural wetland of the sudan Sahelian
biogeographical region and comprises of ponds and seasonally flooded lands, it support great
diversity of flora and fauna.
Dogona sanctuary lake is located in Yobe. It’s a large national seasonally flooded lake, the
lakes support a wide range of fish species and is an important sources of drinking water for local
cattle and support widely range of birds species.
Lower Kaduna middle Naija flood plains this is located in Kwara and Niger State its an
intensive alluvial wetland on the flood plain of the midsection of river Kaduna, the site consist of
pools, lakes, shifting river, coast, sand band and its inundated annually by flood water. The
wetland support significant number of bird species that are restricted to the sudan guinea
savannah.
Oguta lake; this is located in imo it has a largest natural fresh water lake in southern Nigeria
located in a natural depressing within the flood plain of northern Nigeria.
Pandam and wase lake; pandam and wase lake in Nasarawa state is formed from tributaries
drained into each of the
Importance of wetlands
1. Water quality: wetlands filter silt and adsorb numerous contaminants in surface
water weight, acting as natural water purifier that improve water quality.
2. Flood control: wetlands near rivers and streams absorb energy and store water
during storms, which minimizes down-stream from damage and the danger of the
flash flood. During time of drought the gradual release of this water that has being
held can assist keep the stream running.
3. Wildlife habitat: Many species of amphibian’s reptiles, birds and mammals that
are specially suited to watering settings may be found in wetlands, wetland are
frequently use for food and refuge by uplands animals including deer and bears.
4. Fishes and shellfish: wetlands are important for providing food, cover spawning
ground and nursery ground for freshwater and marine animals, such
trout,crab,shrimps etc.
5. Habitat for threating and endangers species: wetlands are essential to the survival
of around one-third of all the plants and animals, designated, as threating or
endangers species in Nigeria, they act as serve heaven for this animal and prevent
them from been killed indiscriminately.
6. Recreational possibility a variety of flora, fauna and water fetchers may be found
in many wetlands making them lovely locations for sight seing.
7. Water supply wetland contribute to the availabity of pure water.
8. Grazing function if the wetland can provide fooder for livestock and then its
integrity is high(wetland is good area for grazing). Wetland often provide all
fooder stock which livestock rely on time of drought.
9. Fibre and fuel if the wetland yield for cooking, fiber for craft and thatch for
housing, then it integrity has been sustained.
10. Medicinal plant: wetlands are habitat for several plants that have medicinal uses
often these plants do not occur outside that wetlands ecosystem since they are
specialized plants. E.g the medicinal uses of mangrove are specific to the
brackish/saline swamps(some the plants are specific and cannot get in the savanna
and forest region but can only get in the wetland regions).
11. Provision of timber several wetlands yield timber for construction and furniture
making which properly managed.
Wetlands management
Wetland in Nigeria are valuable ecosystems that provide various ecological,
economic, and social benefit. Effective management of these wetlands is crucial to
ensure the sustainability and wellbeing of local communities, some key aspect of
wetlands management are as follows;
1. Legislative framework: Nigeria has several rules and regulations governing
wetland management including the Nigeria environmental impact assessment
acts and national park service act, these laws provide legal framework, for the
protection, conservation, and sustainability use of wetlands.
2. Wetland inventory and assessment: a comprehensive inventory and
assessment of wetlands are essential for understanding the ecological
characteristics, biodiversity, and function. These information serves as basic
for developing management plans and conservation strategies to specific
wetlands types and the location.
3. Stakeholder engagement: effective wetland management requires the
involvement of various stakeholders, including government agencies, local
communities, NGOs, and private sector organization.
4. Habitat restoration and conservation: degradation of wetland due to
urbanization, agriculture, pollution, and climate change is significant concern
in Nigeria, habitat restoration effort such as reforestation, erosion control are
essential for preserving wetland biodiversity, and ecosystem service.
5. Water resource management is closely linked to wetland conservation and
sustainable use, balancing the competing demand for water including
agriculture, industries, and human consumption requires integrated
approaches that priotize ecosystem health and resilience.
6. Monitoring and enforcement regular monitoring of wetland condition and
compliance with management regulation is essential for assessing the
effectiveness of conservation efforts and identifying emergent threats
enforcement mechanisms including penalties for illegal activities and
insensitive for sustainable practices, health deter destructive behaviour and
promote responsible stedwardship.
 7. International collaboration wetland management in Nigeria can benefit from
internal collaboration and partnership including knowledge exchange,
capacity building and finical support.
8. Awareness and education public awareness campaigns and educational
progrom raise awareness about the importance of wetlands, the ecological
function and the benefit they provide to community.

Types of wetlands
1. Marsh wetland: marshes are wetland that are always flooded rather than only
sometimes, marshes can contain fresh water, or salt water, and the water
contents varies with season they might contain wide diversity of plants and
have evolves specifically to survive in soggy soil.
2. Swamps wetland: swamps vary from marshes in that normally woody
vegetation predominate rather than soft-stemed plant.
3. Bogs wetlands are noted for the high acidic water, bogs, in contrast to
marshes and swamps often acquire the moisture from precipitation rather than
from water sources likes streams or river run-off.
4. Fen’s wetland fens are pet but they often receive the moisture from ground
water rather than precipitation making them significantly less acidic as result
they often sustain a wide variety of flora and fauna.