If we do not act soon, SA’s precious wetlands could be lost forever
Water purification is one of the primary purposes of the indigenous palmiet wetlands in SA‚ but they are in such a critical state that if we do not act now‚ they may soon disappear altogether‚ an ecologist says."The protection and restoration of our wetlands should be a national priority‚" said Alanna Rebelo‚ a wetland ecologist and postdoctoral researcher in the department of conservation ecology and entomology at Stellenbosch University. Rebelo recently obtained her doctorate in conservation ecology at Stellenbosch University. She said more than 65% of SA’s wetlands and associated river systems has been damaged and 50% estimated to have been destroyed."If steps are not taken immediately to restore palmiet wetlands threatened with erosion‚ it is possible that these wetlands will be drained or lost by 2065."Her research focused on the Theewaterskloof and Goukou wetlands in the Western Cape as well as the Kromme wetland in the Baviaanskloof area of the Eastern Cape. Two of these palm...
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