Abstract
Many wetlands have experienced rapid degradation that is due to unstainable development practices globally. Oftentimes, uncoordinated economic development plans in wetlands and surrounding areas have affected the ecological functions of these sensitive ecosystems. This study examined Setiu Wetland, a wetland with diverse ecosystems on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The main objective of this study was to analyse the potential of marine spatial planning (MSP) to be adopted there. MSP is an integrated coastal zone management tool to govern conflicting uses of an area considering environmental sustainably. Like other coastal zone managements adopted in Southeast Asia, MSP requires participation and awareness of the local community to ensure sustainable development targets are achieved. This paper addresses the local community’s awareness of the ecosystem importance of Setiu Wetland and the socio-economic activities in the area. The study employed a quantitative approach using a survey method to examine, in particular, the local community’s awareness of the oyster habitat that has a direct impact on the Setiu Wetland ecosystems. The research findings indicate that awareness of the importance of oyster habitats to the wetland ecosystems is high among the local community. The community strongly supports the idea of protecting and preserving the wetland to ensure the healthy functioning of ecosystems.
Highlights
Wetlands worldwide are facing degradation at an accelerated rate owing to reclamation and pollution along with socio-economic developments, including that of Setiu Wetland
63 respondents (34.05%) disagreed with the statement. This finding corresponds with the results reported by Haron et al (2020), who argued that environmental awareness among the local community in Setiu Wetland is of a high level
Setiu Wetland is gazetted as the Terengganu State Park
Summary
Wetlands worldwide are facing degradation at an accelerated rate owing to reclamation and pollution along with socio-economic developments, including that of Setiu Wetland. No specific legislation relating to the conservation and management of wetlands is available in Malaysia. International conventions, such as the Ramsar Convention, and international declarations, such as the Langkawi Declaration and the Rio Declaration, govern their management (Ibrahim, Aziz, & Hanifah, 2012a). The Langkawi Declaration on the Environment 1989 aims to balance the protection of the environment while promoting economic growth and sustainable development. This declaration was an initiative of the Commonwealth Government heads of government to warn about the severity of deterioration in the environment and the adverse impacts on the wellbeing of present and future generations. In 1989, Malaysia made a “Pledge for the Environment”, using the concept of sustainable development to preserve and enhance Malaysia’s environment quality in line with the Langkawi Declaration (Wan Mohd., 2013)
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