Nyeri: Nyeri County Executive for Water, Irrigation, Environment and Climate Change, Frederick Kinyua, has called on communities to incorporate indigenous knowledge and practices in the conservation of wetlands. Kinyua emphasized that the continued degradation of these ecological sites, which serve as vital water sources, threatens both the environment and the country’s cultural heritage.
According to Kenya News Agency, Kinyua highlighted the historical significance of wetlands in traditional livelihoods, customs, and community identities, noting that their destruction risks eroding cultural ties passed down through generations. He remarked that wetlands have long been central to providing water, food, and medicines, making them integral to heritage, traditions, and identity. Kinyua posed the question of how to revive conventional environmental conservation methods and adapt them for both older and younger generations.
Kinyua’s remarks were made during World Wetlands Day celebrations at Kahuru Comprehensive School in Mathira sub-county. He stressed the dual ecological and cultural value of wetlands, traditionally regarded in Nyeri as sacred sites associated with healing and religion. He warned that urbanization, unsustainable farming, and climate change pose significant threats to these lifelines, urging immediate conservation action to preserve both ecological value and cultural heritage.
This year’s theme, “Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage,” underscores the necessity of integrating indigenous practices into conservation efforts beyond policy frameworks. Kinyua revealed that the county government has developed policies for the conservation and management of its 70 wetlands and riparian zones. He mentioned that in the 2025/2026 financial year, the county had restored seven springs, with plans to protect an additional 12 wetlands and springs in the 2026/2027 financial year.
Kinyua called on government agencies to commit resources, enforce protection, and ensure the safeguarding of wetlands for ecological and cultural continuity. He encouraged Kenyans to embrace traditional medicine and plant indigenous and fruit trees, highlighting the tangible benefits of environmental conservation for communities, including food, medicine, and environmental protection.
His sentiments were supported by Central Regional Director for the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), Parnwell Simitu, who likened wetlands to the earth’s kidneys. Simitu noted their crucial role in stabilizing environmental functions despite covering only six percent of the earth’s surface. He revealed that NEMA has conducted a nationwide wetlands inventory and developed management plans for these water sources, while also enhancing law enforcement to prevent encroachment and further destruction.
