Assessment of impact of land use change on the wetland in Makhitha village, Limpopo province, South Africa.

Mpho D Phethi,Jabulani R Gumbo

doi:10.4102/jamba.v11i2.693

Abstract

Wetlands are essential for the natural function of an ecosystem, by regulating floods and remaining as a source of water supply. However, land use changes are the main forces behind wetland deterioration worldwide, including South Africa. In this article, we report on the impact of land use changes at the Makhitha wetland, Limpopo province, South Africa. The data was collected using techniques such as ecological survey, socio-economic survey and interpretation of satellite images obtained between 1978 and 2004. The study findings revealed that factors such as poverty and population growth were the driving forces behind wetland mismanagement. The cultivation of crops, grazing of livestock and road construction were the main land use activities that were practised in the wetland, which contributed to wetland deterioration, a disaster that can be mitigated. The study then recommended strategies such as environmental education, fencing and land use planning to resolve the problem of land use changes, in order to contribute to sustainable wetland management.

Highlights

Land is a finite resource where all human activities are undertaken
South Africa has been a signatory to the Ramsar Convention and has enacted legislation, such as the National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998) and the National Environmental Management Act (Act 107 of 1998) to protect wetland from further destruction and degradation (Cowan 1995)
Factors that contribute to land use changes

Summary

Introduction

Land is a finite resource where all human activities are undertaken. The main purposes of land use are building human settlements, recreation and practising agriculture such as keeping livestock and growing of vegetables and crops. Land use changes driven by human activity have the potential to significantly affect food security and the sustainability of the world agricultural and forest product supply systems (Popp et al 2014). Land use change is a feature of both rural and urban areas and occurs in both developed and developing countries (Galbraith, Amerasinghe & Huber-Lee 2005; MEAB 2005). Land use change is an essential component, and it is used as an indicator of the development in an area or in a country. Wetlands are gaining recognition because of their unique contribution to aquatic ecosystems and have classified and protected according to the Ramsar Convention of 1971, articles 1.1 and 2.1 (Galbraith et al 2005). South Africa has been a signatory to the Ramsar Convention and has enacted legislation, such as the National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998) and the National Environmental Management Act (Act 107 of 1998) to protect wetland from further destruction and degradation (Cowan 1995)

Methods

Results

Conclusion