Wetlands Preservation in Urban Areas

Environmental ecosystems, particularly wetlands, have a bearing toward mitigation and adaptation of climate change processes. With regard to urban areas, responsible authorities, including urban planners and local authorities, have a mandate to promote the resilience and sustainability of the areas through the preservation of urban wetlands. It is the main objective of this chapter to explore the strategies that are being employed by the responsible authorities for the City of Harare, Zimbabwe in particular, in promoting urban wetland preservation as a channel toward achieving the resilience of urban areas. In this regard, the study made use of a desktop research methodology in collecting relevant data, and a thematic analysis was employed to formulate research findings that add upon the body of literature on wetland preservation and its contribution toward urban resilience. Wetland preservation processes in Harare have the potential to promote urban resilience through various channels: mitigation of climate change effects; adding upon urban esthetics; regularizing urban settlement and development; and cultural and environmental value. However, the conflict between politicians and technocrats in urban planning and development militates against the bid of wetland preservation processes as a channel toward promoting urban resilience. It is therefore recommended that the adoption of an effective participatory approach in urban development among all stakeholders will uphold wetland preservation as a channel toward the achievement of urban resilience.