Sustainable Management Of Natural Wetlands In Urban Areas
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Date
2017Author
Wakhungu, Rodgers S
Type
ThesisLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The concern that human settlements can have direct and indirect impacts on the environment,
and that wetlands are particular susceptible to negative change, has long been proven. It is for
this reason that this study was conducted to establish the anthropogenic causes leading to
degradation of Dunga Swamp in the context of sustainable urban wetland management.
Specifically, the study sought to: (1) review and map out the degradation of Dunga Swamp in
the urban context, (2) establish the causes of the degradation of Dunga Swamp with a view to
bring out their management implications and (3) develop a framework for sustainable
management of urban wetlands.
The study was based on a combination of research instruments, chief among them being
Remote Sensing and GIS. Other research instruments included field observations and
interviews. Key informants selected on predetermined criteria were interviewed.
From the study it was established that, Dunga Swamp had reduced by 64.8% from 1990 to
2011 and that the remaining percentage is heavily fragmented. Major causes of this
degradation were found out to be construction on the wetland, burning of the swamp,
excessive unsustainable harvesting of papyrus reeds and poor management of swamp. From
the findings a sustainable management framework was formulated.
The study concluded that natural wetlands are valuable assets in our nation which requires an
understanding of the dynamics of human and environmental parameters at play to manage
them effectively and efficiently.
In light of this, the hypothesis that poor management of human settlements in urban areas
leads to degradation of wetlands was accepted.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Subject
Management Of Natural WetlandsRights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
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