Ohlanga - The Sacred Reed

These Reed Beds have invested our shoreline or not.

Because of the value to an ecosystem the harm is sometimes overlooked.

Let us have a look at Wikipedia:

"Treatment ponds are small versions of constructed wetlands which uses reed beds or other marshland plants to form an even smaller water treatment system. Similar to constructed wetlands, water trickling through the reed bed is cleaned by microorganisms living on the root system and in the litter. Treatment ponds are used for the water treatment of a single house or a small neighbourhood." 

So we gather from this entry in The World's most important and accredited on line encyclopaedia that what ever we through at a system the Reed beds will clean it up and filter it out.  The Question remains ... What about the importance of the Mangrove Swamps. 

Let us have a look at Wikipedia:

"However, mangrove swamps' protective value is sometimes overstated. Wave energy is typically low in areas where mangroves grow,^[12] so their effect on erosion can only be measured over long periods.^[10] Their capacity to limit high-energy wave erosion is limited to events such as storm surges and tsunamis.^[13] Erosion often occurs on the outer sides of bends in river channels that wind through mangroves, while new stands of mangroves are appearing on the inner sides where sediment is accruing.^["

^{Does Reed Infestation posses a threat to a Estuarine System?}

^{How Important is an Estuary?
"}Estuaries provide habitats for a large number of organisms and support very high productivity. Estuaries provide habitats for many fish nurseries, depending upon their locations in the world, such as salmon and sea trout.^[11] Also, migratory bird populations, such as the black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa islandica^[12] make essential use of estuaries."  

Let us Read About Coast Care in South Africa:

Estuaries are substantial producers of organic matter, which enriches our seas by promoting growth and contributing significantly to the productivity of continental shelf waters. They are also important as nurseries for small fish and as rich feeding grounds for many types of birds. Around the edges of some of our estuaries, estuarine wetlands such as salt marshes, mangrove swamps and reed-beds are found. These wetlands are extremely productive systems, providing the basic building blocks of the aquatic food chain.

With all this short subtractions from major Work found on the Internet we can not sit back and allow the Heritage of our Children be dominated by a Status symbol like World Heritage Site.

By Petrus Viviers

081 342 7371

petrusviv@gmail.com

We want to start a petition to have a focus group where we can relay the importance of the Working Estuary and Domestic Tourism as a economic hub to a very poor community. The Influx of Tourism to the Area stretching from Richards Bay in the South to Kosi Bay in the North is a lifeline for rural communities in some of South Africa's Poorest areas.

Not Exploiting Recreational Fishing Market is forcing these areas to turn to mining since Sugar Cane has over run the ability for subsistence farming. 

To be part of the drive to start a petition please feel free to Advertise with For Africa. Most financial resources are used to drive this. Or You can make a voluntary contribution to P.J. Viviers.