Nurturing nature for water security
HAVE YOU ever stopped to think how water gets to your tap? Where is it coming from? What process does it go through? I’m sure your first thought was our l ocal service provider and naturally so, as they do a great job in allowing ease of access to this life-giving commodity. But even before that, there is a whole different service that helps to secure water for your daily use and that is the ecosystem services of nature.
From our forests and soils to our rivers and wetlands, nature helps to cycle, store, clean and release fresh water that helps to keep us healthy and powers our economy. All these services from nature contribute to water security, which is needed for future development. Forests, in particular, play a very important role in recharging groundwater; the tree roots facilitate the percolation of water into the soil, which is then stored and released into rivers. Additionally, forested watersheds and wetlands supply 75 per cent of the world’s accessible fresh water and a significant proportion of our drinking water.
Our forests, and nature in general, can only continue to deliver these services if the ecosystem is healthy and functioning well. The health and functionality of our f orests depend on us; so we must be responsible in how we use their resources and ensure we take care of them. You can help us to protect our f orests by not cutting down trees or lighting fires that will spread and destroy the forests. You can also share what you learn with others.
As we celebrate World Water Day, under the theme ‘Nature for Water’, let us take care of Mother Nature so she can continue to take care of us.