Wetlands and Human Values

The bond between wetlands and community is based on unison formed by history and human dependence on water. Properties from the functions of wetlands may directly or indirectly benefit humans and other organisms such as ensuring water regulation (flood events) and purification (sediment loads). The values of wetlands are attributes perceived to be desirable or worth protecting. What this also means is the importance of any function or value will vary between groups of people and has changed throughout history.

Traditionally societies were often formed alongside water as human well-being has depended on many services provided by wetlands; these are provisioning, regulating, cultural and supporting services. There are historical cultural roots that have archaeological and scientific values that provide information about the past. Many wetlands have a long history with the indigenous people of a region and thus provide even greater cultural value. Some traditional cultures continue to have an active ceremonial life and undertake semi-traditional hunting and gathering practices. There are also intangible spiritual and health benefits that contribute to human well-being.

Today there are many groups of people that are highly dependent on local wetland services directly such as fish supply and water availability. Countries, such as Cambodia, rely on such services for 60-80% of their dietary animal protein is collected from inland wetlands. Wetlands are also important in local and national economies with commercial products such as fish, shellfish, fibres for textiles, peat for fuels and gardens, wild rice, medicines from soil and plants (bark, leaves and fruit), tourism etc. Furthermore, wetlands provide renewable freshwater for human use (including lakes, rivers, swamps and shallow groundwater aquifers) as groundwater is often recharged through wetlands. It is estimated that around 1.5-3 billion people depend on this source for drinking water. The dependence on wetlands for survival and livelihood, with possible poverty alleviation, makes them fundamental to political discourses.

In the environment wetlands support the wider ecosystem which appeals to people for recreation and aesthetics. Wetlands have been the subject matter for writers, painters and other artists, observation for bird watchers or wildlife photography and leisure activities such as swimming and sailing. There is also scientific (formal) and learning (informal) values attached to wetlands as they are also places where people can observe and measure field ecology. This can help communities develop knowledge that can be used to protect wetlands from continued adverse effects from human populations.

It is clear that wetlands are important places for the community, but is often viewed with regards to how they serve society. This leaves the intangible benefits to human well-being, which cannot be measured, unrecognised and/or undervalued and can be omitted when decisions are made. But as times change there is a shift in perspective on wetland management as the synthesis of human need and wetland ecosystems now aim to benefit one another.

Reference

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. 2005. Ecosystems and Human Well-Being: Wetlands and Water Synthesis. World Resources Institute, Washington, DC. Accessed Online: http://www.unep.org/maweb/documents/document.358.aspx.pdf

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaredlwong/5459507646/">Jared Wong</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>