Africa-Press – Lesotho. THE Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) says it wants to raise M96.3 million to restore 19 wetlands in the mountainous regions.
The key to the proposed restoration and conservation is the need to declare the headwaters of Motete, Khubelu, Senqu, Sehong-Hong, and Mokhotlong rivers.
This was said at a workshop held in Thaba-Bosiu for principal chiefs from Mokhotlong, Butha-Buthe, and Thaba-Tseka, and members of parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Natural Resources.
The LHDA’s Environment Manager, Palesa Monongoaha, said in an effort to restore wetlands, the LHDA supports the removal of encroaching bushes and restore gully erosion with gabions.
“We should establish a protected area for wetlands and fences to keep livestock out,” Monongoaha said.
She said cattle posts should be banned from being set up close to wetlands.
The LHDA, non-governmental organisations, development partners, local authorities and conservation associations are designing and implementing restoration interventions to improve the condition of the wetlands, she said.
Monongoaha said they identified 2 000 wetlands and out of them picked 19 that they thought required urgent restoration.
This was after the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) Phase II assessed all the 2 000 wetlands.
She said the assessment is ongoing.
The LHWP Phase I, she said, had the detailed assessment of 46 wetlands.
Monongoaha said what drives land and wetlands degradation is “lack of ownership, lack of technical input on grazing, management and lack of enforcement of the law”.
She blamed the problem on grazing too much livestock on wetlands without any regulation.
“In our wetlands we experience… inappropriate grazing practices like trampling wetlands and rangelands and wetlands overgrazing,” Monongoaha said.
She encouraged that there should be a “limit to the number of livestock that can be owned by each household and create grazing association boundaries”.
“In law enforcement and self-determination, court proceedings over impoundment of animals need to move faster,” she said.
“Demarcate an area for different regions or grazing associations so that each can manage and take responsibility for their areas.”
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