Molly R Gaskin,
President
The Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust
www.papwildfowltrust.org
Life began in water 3-3.5 thousand million years ago where the world’s land and water meet, at the water’s edge.
Wetlands in their natural state are among the most productive ecosystems in the world, producing and providing life in abundance. Benefits gained from harvesting wetlands per unit of land area surpass the most intensive agricultural systems. Under the RAMSAR Convention “wetlands are areas of marsh, peat land, estuaries, mud flats, mangrove swamps, reservoirs, water, fresh, brackish or salt, including rocky marine shores and coral reefs and marine water that at low tide does not exceed six metres.”
Wetland habitats contain a significant proportion of the world’s wildlife. A coastal wetland and marsh is a delicately balanced system dependent on the free flow of tide and the rivers that feed it fresh water. Wetlands are great mixing bowls of nutrients and food and are feeding spawning and nursery areas for 60-70 per cent of our commercially and recreationally valuable coastal fish and shrimp.
Several species of turtles also use estuarine zones of wetlands for a part of their life cycle. The fishing and shrimping industries will not survive without healthy wetlands and by extension, the livelihood and survival of many people.
For a man to gain a pound the sea must produce half a ton of living matter (FAO). Wetlands support dense growth of edible oysters, mussels, barnacles, sponges, snails, crabs, shrimp and other marine, estuarine and herbaceous or freshwater swamp species; many of them commercially important.
Wetlands hold silt, brought down from denuded hillsides, preventing it from flowing into offshore reefs and smothering and destroying corals and the marine life in them. Reef animals also use wetlands for spawning, feeding and nurseries.
Wetlands are natural decomposers, breaking down or removing harmful substances such as toxicants. They trap sediments preserving valuable topsoil brought down in rivers through flooding from bare hillsides and mountains, trapping these sediments often filled with harmful toxicants from “upstream” dumping of agricultural chemicals, industrial discharges and untreated waste and sewage. This is taken up by wetland vegetation, filtered and then re-distributed through the wetland ecosystem in a usable form.
Wetlands are natural purification systems playing an important part in sanitation and pollution control, but there is a limit to what even they can do. The watershed of a wetland is an important part of its system and lies in our hills and mountains.
Wetlands with mangroves and palm forests protect our coasts and shorelines, inland agriculture, towns and people, from strong winds, high water and prevent exposure to storms and hurricanes. Wetlands like the Nariva Wetlands on the east coast of Trinidad protect not only the east coast but all of central Trinidad from violent storms coming in from the Atlantic. Destruction of these important wind belts could mean millions of dollars lost in property and damage.
What price do we put on human life?
Wetlands and mangroves are also important land builders. Mangroves are primary producers and are important to the survival of all species of fauna within the wetlands together with many other land species, both fresh and salt water fish.
Wetlands also prevent the intrusion of salt water into fresh ground water. In low lying coastal areas where the underlying substrate is permeable, a ridge or wedge of fresh water overlies the deeper saline/salt water. This wedge is a wetland. If this wedge, the wetland, is removed, salt water then moves upwards towards the land’s surface, affecting fresh water supplies to people, communities (drinking, irrigation, agriculture) and wildlife. River and coastal vegetation help prevent the flow of brackish tidal waters into rivers.
Wetland reserves have considerable potential for generating income from tourism and recreation; but we must maintain a viable carrying capacity and while we may develop somewhat, we must at all times ensure the protection of the very resources that we need.
Spectacular scenery, ease of access and close-up views of a great variety of flora and fauna are factors important to tourism and above all are available in T&T!
Nariva Swamp
Nariva, East Coast; Trinidad’s largest herbaceous freshwater swamp has an extremely rich and varied fauna including 57 species of mammals, 170 species of birds, eight species of edible fish, 12 crustacean species, seven amphibians and 37 species of reptiles, troops of Red Howler and Capuchin monkeys, three species of opossums, two species of anteaters, the tree porcupine, three of our five species of wild ducks, many species of migratory birds; our endangered blue and gold macaw (bred and released by the Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust into the Bush Bush Wildlife Sanctuary) and the endangered manatee.
Caroni Swamp
The Caroni Swamp on the West Coast; an incredibly beautiful area of tidal lagoons, marsh lands, grass and sedge complex and magnificent mangrove forest with 157 species of birds, including the National bird, the Scarlet Ibis; the crab-eating raccoon; the silky anteater and many species of opossum and reptiles. The entire area is a beautiful complex of flora and fauna, water and sky.
Tobago
Tobago, 26 miles to the north east of Trinidad boasts of some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world, teeming with colourful aquatic life, deep blue waters and high surfing waves that can be compared with the best anywhere. The beautiful Speyside reef together with Buccoo has been declared a Marine National Park.
The Buccoo Reef/Bon Accord Lagoon complex is the beautiful home of under-represented, endangered coral species, seagrass beds and mangrove forests as well as the critically endangered Hawksbill turtle and about 119 species of fish.
Other important wetland sites are Kilgwyn, Petit Trou, Bloody Bay, Great Courland Bay, Little Courland, Turtle Beach River, Friendship and Minister Bay. These wetlands are RAMSAR sites of International Importance.
Monitored and used wisely, recreation and environmentally sensitive, community-driven tourism makes money, protects the environment and can contribute significantly to local, national and regional economies.