Wetlands are associated with important functions that provide goods an

Wetlands are associated with important functions that provide goods and services which have economic value and therefore satisfy human wants, directly /or indirectly. Because of their socioeconomic importance, wetlands have attracted significant portions of human populations who survive by exploiting their resources, through different resource utilization activities, often driven by economic and financial motives. This has resulted in the degradation and modification of these valuable sources of natural capital. This situation arises out of the fact that wetlands are perceived to have little or no economic value, coupled with the fact that no formal markets exist for their services to humanity. Consequently, wetland conservation is not seen as a serious alternative compared to other uses that seem to yield more tangible and immediate economic benefits.

Directly, wetlands are sources of water supply and other products such as fish and plant resources, clay, papyrus, sand and they are also centers of recreation, whilst indirectly, they perform environmental functions vital to the maintenance and protection of human systems through services like the preservation of water quality, flood attenuation, nutrient retention, ground water recharge and climatic regulation. For example, wetlands support subsistence agricultural activities that sustain livelihoods especially for the poverty stricken rural and urban population. Because these services do not involve human interaction, their importance to the society is significantly unnoticed.

As wetlands become degraded, livelihood and communities welfare become progressively weakened, yet local communities in the wetlands are unlikely to conserve them in the course of their production activities. Economic incentives present a valuable tool for both nature conservation and sustainable livelihood. Such approaches should include the use of direct economic incentives that include property rights (in form of leases, or concessions) that enable the formation of conditions under which communities will benefit from the wetlands and therefore have a stake in their conservation, performance bonds or subsidies upon environmentally friendly activities. Where incentives fail to change people's behavior in promoting sustainable wetland utilization, then disincentives should be used. These may include taxes, charges, fees, fines for unacceptable levels of degradation and tradable permits to local level land holders who prefer to give up their lands in wetlands to unsustainable wetland utilization activities.

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

A. Highlight the importance of a natural resource in the everyday lives of local people
B. Discuss the economic significance of a natural resource and suggest ways to conserve it
C. Describe how human activities have led to the degradation and modification of wetlands
D. Outline ways by which local communities can play a role in the conservation of natural capital
E. Evaluate the direct and indirect economic value that wetlands offer human populations



2. According to the passage, each of the following is a benefit that wetlands offer human populations, EXCEPT

A. Preservation of water quality
B. Supply of water
C. Leisure and tourism
D. Prevention of soil erosion
E. Plant and mineral resources



3. The author of the passage is most likely to endorse which of the following proposals for the conservation of wetlands?

A. Carrying out regional awareness campaigns of wetland economic values as one way of demonstrating their contribution to the local and national economy
B. Conducting economic valuation studies of wetlands to highlight the benefits of wetlands conservation
C. Levying charges equivalent to the total estimated costs of wetland degradation on unsustainable wetland use
D. Strengthening of community livelihood enhancement measures in order to reduce reliance on wetland resources
E. Development of innovative funding mechanisms for wetland conservation and management