The Environmental Management Act in 2006 and the Environmental Assessment and Ecosystem Protection Regulations in 2007 shows that the topical issue of wetlands is a cause for concern.

Victoria Falls hosted the 15th Ramsar Wetland Convention in 2025. It was attended by 170 countries, and Zimbabwe became the second African country to do so after Uganda. The threat to these areas is being caused by the clearing of more land for new and various urban settlement areas that are given out by land barons. Thus, wetlands should be preserved because they are our major attractions in the tourism industry.

Wetlands are essential because they naturally filter and purify water, thereby recharging the water table. On the same token, tourists love the wetlands, and they want to experience them to the fullest. It’s all about those marshy areas, which are also coveted by subsistence farmers, as they always have abundant water. As a result, our wetlands are caught between settlements and farmers. To add salt to injury, cultivating in these regions has since led to siltation, with soil erosion being the major problem in the long run. A wetland is a low-lying marshy area that forms headwaters for rivers, and they act as a water reservoirs.

The truth is that it practically affects too many wetlands near us. On the positive side, Zimbabwe is very interested and concerned when it comes to wetlands, and as a result, Ramsar has endorsed and taken seven of our wetlands under its wing. The cynosures include Manapools and Victoria Falls National Park, which are heritage sites in their own right. Then comes the recreational parks like Chinhoyi Caves, Lake Chivero and Manyame, Cleverland Dam, Monavale Wetland, and Driefontein Grasslands. Ostentatiously, this is a confectionery of national game reserves, recreational parks, and lakes to boot. At this juncture, you can only imagine why I’m vouching for the wetlands.

A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Convention on Wetlands. What this means is that the word wetlands is an umbrella term that should be said with utmost respect. Luckily, our tourism and hospitality industry is here to aid every wetland and to prevent it from being abused. The aforementioned wetlands are safe for Ramsar put a stamp on them that is they are literally untouchable. Wetlands enhance the tourism package because they have water as an advantage compared to other destinations.

Ramsar was established in February 1971 in Iran under the stewardship of UNESCO but Zimbabwe joined in 2013. To cut to the chase the Convention is a treaty that provides a framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.