NCF urges public to protect wetlands to combat climate change

By Bisola Adeyemo

Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF), a Non Governmental Organisation, has urged the general public to ensure that they participate in protecting preserving, restoring, and msustaining wetlands to mitigate effects of climate change.

Mr. Harry Junior, NCF’s Project Coordinator, Hadejia-Nguru Wetlands, made the plea in an interview on Monday with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yobe state to highlight more on the importance of wetlands in celebrating World Wetlands Day.

Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time during the year, including during the growing season. … Wetlands may support both aquatic and terrestrial species.

Junior noted that wetland played a pivotal role in the ecosystem, serving as biodiversity hotspot and a habitat for aquatic fauna and flora.

“It is also home to numerous species of birds, including migratory species.

“Wetlands play a crucial role in water security and also provide a barrier against natural disasters such as flooding.

“Wetlands prevent soil erosion. They act as carbon stores, and form one of the most important sinks for greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide,” he said.

According to him, Nigeria has 11 wetlands of international importance, covering a total area of about 1,076,728 hectares.

The Coordinator listed the sites to include Lake Chad Wetlands in Borno; Dagona Sanctuary Lake, Yobe; Hadejia-Nguru Lake, Jigawa and Yobe as well as Maladumba Lake in Bauchi.

Others were Foge Islands, Kebbi; Apoi Creek Forests, Bayelsa; Padam and Wase Lakes, Plateau, Upper Orashi Forests, Rivers; Oguta Lake, Imo, and Lower Kaduna-Middle Niger Floodplain in Niger State.

According to him, the Niger-Delta wetland is the largest in Africa and the third-largest mangrove forest in the world.