Impact of Residential Development on Urban Wetlands: The Case of Watiti Wetland, Kangemi Estate, Nairobi County.

ABSTRACT

The UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment determined that environmental degradation is more prominent within wetland systems than any other ecosystem on Earth. Increase in population in urban areas has led to pressures within urban wetland ecosystems. Urbanization has also contributed to the degradation of the Watiti wetland ecosystem. Some of the impacts of such activities include; direct habitat loss (from development, land reclamation, roads, in-stream dredging), altered water regime (from dams/barriers, stream redirection, hard surfacing, water extraction), pollution (from garbage, sewage, oil and chemical spills, pesticides, airborne toxins), introduction of exotic species (weeds, pests and domestic pets) and other ecosystem modifications (for example, altered fire regimes, dieback and changes in salinity). International conservation efforts are being used in conjunction with the development of rapid assessment tools to inform people about wetland issues. The above scenario necessitated this study in order to identify the impacts of encroachment, to assess the policy and legislation framework for managing urban wetlands, to establish the contribution of the public in wetland management and to examine measures taken to effectively protect and conserve the wetland. To obtain information for this study, both primary and secondary data were used. Primary data was obtained using various methodologies like field surveys, photography, observation, guided questionnaires and oral interviews while secondary data heavily borrowed from the existing published and unpublished data. The target population is the upper, middle and lower class individuals living around the Watiti wetland. The analysis revealed the status quo of urban wetland management and established existing gaps within institutions and the policies. This study identifies the impacts of encroachment of residential development on urban wetland, the case of Watiti wetland and recommends for ways to ensure that the wetland is protected and conserved for sustainability.