OneWorld.net (U.S.)

OneWorld.net note: A wetland area in the Democratic Republic of Congo that is twice the size of Belgium and has one of the highest concentrations of biodiversity in the world was officially designated a Wetland of International Importance this Thursday, making it the world's largest protected freshwater site.

• Scientists recently announced that the destruction of wetlands would dramatically contribute to climate change. © Dean Forbes (flickr)The Ngiri-Tuma-Maindombe area, recently designated by the Ramsar Convention as a Wetland of International Importance, constitutes an enormous carbon sink. Carbon sinks are areas that absorb more carbon than they emit. Globally, carbon sinks are calculated to absorb approximately half of all carbon dioxide emissions produced by human activity.
• On Jul. 20, ecological scientists participating in an international conference warned that the destruction of the world's wetlands could release a "carbon bomb" that would significantly contribute to global warming. The announcement was made at the INTECOL Itnernational Wetlands Conference in Brazil, where some 700 scientists gathered to discuss different aspects of wetland ecology.
• The second largest Ramsar site is the Queen Maud Gulf in Canada, measuring 62,782 square kilometers. The Ngiri-Tumba-Maindombe area measures 65,696 square kilometers.

Southern African wetland region to become world’s largest protected freshwater site.

From: World Wildlife Fund

Locals working in the Lac Tumba, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a region that has become part of the worlds largest protected freshwater site following its recognition as a wetland of international importance by the Ramsar Convention.
© WWF Lac Tumba

24 Jul 2008
An area of the Democratic Republic of Congo containing the largest body of fresh water in Africa has been added to the Ramsar Convention’s list of Wetlands of International Importance, making it the largest region ever to be designated as such.

At more than six-and-a-half million hectares, the Ngiri-Tumba-Maingombe area is twice the size of Belgium and has one of the highest concentrations of biodiversity anywhere in the world. It is also a major carbon sink.

"WWF is delighted that Ramsar has recognized the importance of this extraordinary wetland and the efforts of the Democratic Republic of Congo to protect it," said James P. Leape, Director General of WWF International. "This is a significant step forward for the welfare of communities who depend on this wetland for their livelihoods and for the wildlife that lives there."

Recognition by the Convention, which was signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, means that there is now a framework to conserve the wetland, which is under threat from illegal logging, fishing and poaching, and a decline in water levels that is most likely attributable to climate change.

In addition, proper management will help to maintain the ecosystem services that the site already provides, and ensure that its defences remain robust in the face of unpredictable environmental changes;

“The Ngiri-Tumba-Maindombe area contributes to the regulation of flooding and regional climate and ensures that the quality of the water remains good enough for millions of people who depend upon it,” said WWF project Manager Bila-Isia Ingwabini.

Wetlands, however, do not merely provide water for drinking and sanitation. The commercial value that can be derived from them is noteworthy. It is hoped that prudent and measured extraction of resources, including palm oil, groundnuts and fish, will contribute to sustainable economic growth for nearby cities such as Kinshasa and Brazzaville.

Globally, the total economic value of wetlands is estimated at more than $70 billion.

To read more about environmental activism from the World Wildlife Foundation, click here.