Councillor Prema Naidoo, MMC for Environment in Joburg, addresses the audience on the importance of wetlands

RELATED LINKS: City Parks to clean up wetlands Joburg will mark World Wetlands Day with clean up campaigns and awareness programmes across the city. The international theme this year is "Fish for tomorrow". Read more Convention on Wetlands For more information on the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, click here.

City Parks employees are in the forefront of protecting wetlands at the Lenasia Vlei

City Parks observed World Wetlands Day by educating the public about the importance of wetlands

Clean up brigade takes on Bailey Spruit Bailey Spruit and Lenasia Vlei were cleaned up by school pupils and City Parks as part of activities to celebrate World Wetlands Day. February 2, 2007 By Tammy O'Reilly SOWETO'S Bailey Spruit was cleaned up today, as part of World Wetlands Day activities. Johannesburg City Parks used the day to educate school children about the importance of wetlands to the environment. World Wetlands Day is held annually on 2 February, the day the Convention on Wetlands was signed in Ramsar, Iran in 1971. This year's theme, "Fish for tomorrow", was chosen to highlight the importance of wetlands in ensuring the future availability of fish for human consumption. According to the official World Wetlands Day website, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, one billion people rely on fish and shellfish as their main - or even sole - source of protein. City Parks also took two schools from Soweto to the Lenasia Vlei in Lenasia to inspect the wetland, where they were taught how to test the water for pH levels, soil levels and temperature. Speaking at a function to mark the day, the member of the mayoral committee for the environment, Prema Naidoo, announced that the City of Johannesburg had agreed to include this wetland under the Klipspruit and Kliprivier enhancement and rehabilitation project. "I remember a long time ago this used to be the most popular recreational spot for this community, but due to years of neglect, compounded by illegal dumping, this area is now in a very poor state. But we are hoping to restore it to its former glory soon." City Parks also conducted clean up campaigns along the Jukskei River, Braamfontein Spruit and Klip River, as well as at Blue Dam, Florida Lake and Moroka Dam. Learners from Ibhongo Secondary in Soweto travelled to the Lenasia Vlei to learn about wetlands Wetlands are defined as "any wet land" and include mountain springs, vleis and lakes. They are among the earth's most productive ecosystems because of the huge variety of plants and animals they support. They are important as they serve as water catchment areas during rainy periods, contain the effects of flood damage and soil erosion, provide a natural habitat for fish and vegetation, and act as a filtration system to enhance water quality. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za