Wetlands, often known as nature's reservoirs, play an important role in supporting biodiversity, regulating climate, and delivering a variety of ecosystem services required for human well-being. However, the degradation of these unique ecosystems presents substantial concerns for both the environment and humanity. To address this important issue, the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) collaborated with Geospatial Research International to create the Cost of Land and Wetland Degradation Tool (COLWED) for the GMES & Africa Programme. COLWED is an earth observation-based tool for the sustainable socioeconomic valuation of natural resources. It assesses the socioeconomic value of wetlands to support monitoring and restoration of degraded ecosystems by informing policy intervention processes at the regional and national levels.
RCMRD and GRI held an online training course from March 4th to 6th, 2024, to raise awareness and capability for the use of the COLWED tool. This session aimed to provide stakeholders with the information and skills necessary to properly use the COLWED tool for the long-term socioeconomic value of wetlands. The GMES & Africa online training concentrated on socioeconomic valuation methods for ecosystems, particularly wetlands. Its goal was to increase capacity in practical approaches for assessing and valuing ecosystem services, illustrate their use in decision-making processes, and help stakeholders understand the value of nature.
The training, which was designed for policymakers, environmental science practitioners, community organizations, NGOs, and scientists interested in understanding and communicating the value of wetlands, contributed to sustainable management and conservation of wetlands in the African region.
The need for wetland valuation
In recent years, there has been growing recognition of the economic and social importance of wetlands. Initiatives such as the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA) and The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) have emphasized the value of biodiversity and ecosystem services for human well-being. Understanding the socio-economic value of wetlands is crucial for making informed decisions regarding their management and conservation. The map below showcases the capabilities of the COLWED tool in one of the socioeconomic valuation exercises carried out in southern Sudan. The Total Economic Value for Sudd Wetland in 2018 is compared to 2022 values. Through visualization one is able to see areas of degradation in the wetland.
The COLWED tool fills this gap by providing a comprehensive framework for the socio-economic valuation of wetlands using earth observation data. By assessing the ecosystem services provided by wetlands, policymakers, planners, and stakeholders can make informed decisions to mitigate degradation and promote sustainable land use practices.
The COLWED tool comprises 25 built-in sub-models, of which 24 measure and evaluate 24 different ecosystem services. The remaining sub-model actualizes the landscape’s Total Economic Value (TEV) by summing up individual land use values. Both the biophysical indicators and the economic values are computed and/or collated from actual data. The model is subjected to sensitivity analysis to ensure the varying independent model variables for economic variations do not affect the dependent variables, hence the erroneous outputs from the model.
