Introduction

Wetlands considered as the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems and attractive habitats for
various animals. According to the United Nations Millennium Ecosystem Assessment reported
that environmental degradation is more prominent within wetlands as compare to any other
ecosystem on earth. (Hamid, 2019) Wetland conservation and preservation are aimed at
protecting areas where water exists at or near the Earth's surface, such
as swamps, marshes and bogs. Wetlands cover at least six per cent of the Earth and have become
a focal issue for conservation due to the ecosystem services they provide. More than three billion
people, around half the world’s population, obtain their basic water needs from inland
freshwater wetlands. Habitats on earth rely on rice as their staple food, and crops which grown
largely in natural and artificial wetlands. It is important to undergo restoration the destroyed
wetland that cause by human activities and preserving the wetland that is still in good condition.

Keywords wetland, ecosystem, environmental, conservation, restoration,

1.1 Background

Wetland have been decrease over the year to the rapid growth of human activities. Report shows
that 64% of global wetlands have been significant lost and degrade since 1900. In some regions,
notably Asia, the loss is even higher. Inland wetlands are disappearing at a faster pace than
coastal ones. (Ramsar.org, 2014) This has led to contribution of natural hazards such as floods,
haze and biodiversity losses. Influence and destroyed by intensive human activities urbanization,
agriculture and aquaculture. Nevertheless, wetlands are eventually threatened around the world,
threats come from various sector, mostly human activities, ranging from deforest, hunting,
logging, shrimp farming or converted land use.

There are two type of Wetlands, i.e. constructed wetland and natural wetland. Constructed
wetland is an artificial wetland where created for the purpose of treating anthropogenic
discharge such as municipal or industrial wastewater, or stormwater runoff. It may also be
created for land reclamation after mining, refineries, or other ecological disturbances such as
required mitigation for natural areas lost to land development. Constructed wetlands are
engineered systems that use natural functions of vegetation, soil, and organisms to treat
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different water streams. Wetlands also are constructed to replace important ecological functions
(water storage, biological productivity, biodiversity) that are lost when natural wetlands are
damaged or destroyed due to human activities.

1.2 Definition of Wetland

According to the Ramsar Convention, Wetlands can be classified into 19 categories of two types
of wetland natural and human-made habitat, variety of types ranging from from plain land to
high altitude, from rivers to coral reefs can be classified as wetlands. Wetlands include swamps,
marshes, billabongs, lakes, salt marshes, mudflats, mangroves, coral reefs, fens, peat bogs, or
bodies of water. Wetlands occur where water meets land, within these areas can be static or
flowing; fresh, brackish or saline; and can include inland rivers and coastal or marine water to a
depth of six metres at low tide. There are even underground wetlands. Wetlands exist in every
country and in every climatic zone, from the Polar Regions to the tropics, and from high altitudes
to dry regions. (Ramsar.org, 2014, Ghosh & et al. (2008)

Wetlands that are important for conserving biological diversity. Wetlands can be included on the
List of Wetlands of International Importance because of their ecological, botanical, zoological,
limnological or hydrological importance. Once designated, these sites are added to the
Convention's List of Wetlands of International Importance and become known as Ramsar sites.
All countries agree to establish and oversee a management framework aimed at conserving the
wetland and ensuring its wise use. Wise use under the Convention is broadly defined as
maintaining the ecological character of a wetland.
Malaysia a country that is blessed with very long coastline extensive of nature resources and
wetland offering a variety of wetland habitat types which are both natural and manmade. Around
the coastal regions we find mudflats and mangrove forests, salt pans, prawn and fish ponds.
Ranging from river, lake and forest to coastal mangroves to peat swamp. Further inland we find
freshwater lakes and rice paddies, which are ideal habitats for the specialist wetland birds.
Malaysia currently has 7 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Site)
with 134,182 hectares. (Ramsar.org, 2014) Namely Pulau Kukup, Kota Kinabalu Wetland, Kuching
Wetland National Parks, Lower Kinabatangan-Segama Wetlands , Sungai Pulai, Tasek Bera,

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Tanjung Piai. The peninsular is also an important migratory stop for birds from Siberia, Manchuria
and China. Uncontrolled and not well planned industrial, plantations and housing development
expansion has caused lifelong damages to these naturally resilient interfaces.

Research Question

1. How human activities and wetland ecosystem can co-exist harmoniously?

2. How to preserve and conserve of wetland referring to case study
Nature Reserve Wetland
- Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Singapore
- East Calcutta Wetlands, India
Constructed Wetland
- Putrajaya Wetlands Park, Malaysia

Objective

1. To identify and compare issues in wetlands management in Malaysia and East Asian
Country; India, Singapore
2. To study implications for sustainable planning and design applicable in wetland
restoration efforts.
3. To study constructed wetland and nature wetland contributing to the sustain ecosystem
and improvement of water quality.

Wetland are important to ecosystem. It provide range of services that bring benefits to the
habitat. This may include in resilience to climate change, act as a buffer against natural hazards
such as floods protection, storms, maintenance of stream flow and recharging ground water.
(Zainora, A., Zainul Ariffin, A. and Hassan, A., 2009). Wetland stores water and distribute water
in the landscape. Wetlands help in water regulation, biomass production, biodiversity production,
biological nutrient circulation, nutrient reduction and greenhouse gas emission. It also serve as a
water and food security and breeding grounds for animal species, serve as habitats to wildlife of

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various species. Migratory birds, mammals and aquatic plants are vulnerable to the changes in
wetland. As they are strongly depends on the wetland, river systems for food and shelter.

Furthermore, Wetland are import role in supporting livelihood of surrounding local communities
that live around them. Wetland has subsequently has social and economic implications to the
nearby communities. It helps to prevention of storm damage, flood and water control, support
of fisheries, pollution mitigation, recreation and transport. Sociology of Wetlands with humans
that wetland can be part of the research, education, tourism and community participation,
through ecological conservation of wetland.

Function of Wetland

Sector Function
Environmental Habitat and refuge place for threatened species and migratory
birds
Support ecosystem of concentration of birds, mammals, reptiles,
amphibians, fish and invertebrate species
Essential role in natural hydrological cycles.
Natural flood mitigation and of ground water
Regulate water quality, water discharge and recharge
Purify water by filtering nutrients and sediments
Protection area for coastal region against natural destructive event,
assist shoreline stabilization
Control and prevent flood. Reduce flood levels with flow control,
reduce or delay floods.
Economic Water sources to support agriculture activities, prawn farming
activities, industry usage, fishery resources and livestock grazing.
Offer navigation and port facilities which essential for trade.
Provide natural feature for recreation and tourism opportunity

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 Social Offer significantly in the cultural heritage for surrounding
communities.
Contribution nearby comments with landscape diversity, heritage
values and aesthetic appeal.
Soure: (Asmawi, 2007)

Activities and Condition Contribution to degradation and losses of Wetland

Sector Activities
Land Development Heavy logging, clearing or draining of filling wetland for residential,
urbanization for agriculture and industrial usage.
Environmental Climate change
More prone to flood
Decrease of temperature
Natural sediment, accumulation and suspension
Water pollution, storm water run-off, salinization, alteration to
hydrological cycles
Economic Excessive water extraction for agriculture and industry use
Modification of water regimes through emplacement of dams and
barriers
Resources use activities such as mining, fishery, poaching and hunting
Soure: (Asmawi, 2007)

The degradation of natural wetlands has significant effects on the ecosystem services they
provide and the biodiversity they sustain. Presence of artificial wetlands these negative effects
can be mitigated. However, the conservation value of artificial wetlands needs to be explored
further.(Giosa, Mammides and Zotos, 2018)

Overview of Nature Reserve Wetlands in Sungei Buloh, Singapore

The Sungei Buloh Wetland a nature reserve located in the northwest area of Singapore. With an
area of 130 hectares, it was the first wetlands reserve to be gazette in Singapore (2002) after

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being identify as its global importance as a stop-over point for migratory birds for Asian
Australasian Shorebird Site Network.

Overview of Nature Reserve Wetlands East Calcutta Wetlands, India

The East Calcutta Wetlands, (22 0 27’ N 88 0 27’ E), are a complex mixt of natural and man-
made wetlands lying east of the city of Calcutta (Kolkata), of West Bengal in India. The wetlands
cover 125 square kilometers, and include salt marshes and salt meadows, as well as sewage farms
and settling ponds. The wetlands are used to treat Kolkata's sewage, and the nutrients contained
in the waste water sustaining fish farms and agriculture.

These natural water bodies which were known just as fisheries. Devised by local fishermen and
farmers, these wetlands served as the natural sewage treatment plant for the city. The East
Kolkata Wetlands host the largest sewage fed aquaculture in the world. (Citation)

(Bhattacharyya, Roy and Mazumdar, 2008)

Overview of Constructed Wetlands in Putrajaya, Malaysia

Putrajaya Wetlands Park, Malaysia one of the largest artificial wetland in Malaysia coverage 197
hectare, comprising 24 wetland cells, created in between the valley of Chuau and Bisa Rivers. It
also get ranked as one of the largest constructed wetland in the tropics. Due to serious pollution
that cause by the agriculture activities in upstream catchment of oil palm and rubber plantation.
(Sim et al., 2008) This man-made lake constructed in 1997-1998 which lies in the center of the
Federal Government Administrative Center to play a role in flood control and stormwater
treatment in Putrajaya City. Putrajaya wetland provides a retention storage place for stormwater,
design were in multi-cells to further enhance and maximize the flood retention capacity. During
the peak flow, it allow the waters to be flow over multi stage system and wider area of the
wetlands plants for colonization. Putrajaya aims to reach few goals which classify under 3 main
sectors Environmental, Education and Recreation. Putrajaya wetland has succeeded as
improvement level of diversity development of ecosystem in wetland can coexist in an urban
setting. (Hj. Majizat et al., 2019)

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 Sectors Aim
Environmental -Created to balance back the lake ecosystem which destroyed by the
plantation at River
-Develop a natural habitat for the conservation of flora and fauna
Education -Create an environmental that suitable for public awareness, stewardship
and education
-Provide a platform for scientific research and interexchange knowledge
with other countries
Recreation -Enhance tourism sector by providing a recreation destination
-Enhance quality of live and water qualities for recreation activities
Soure: (Asmawi, 2007)

Aquatic plants in Putrajaya wetlands effective acts as a filtration and cleaning agent. They act as
hydrological and biochemical functions to treat pollutants in surface run-off and for flood
mitigation by water retention. Vegetation in the wetland that widespread growing along the
stream. This vegetation called sedge grass, it helps in artificial wetland. Contributing on ecological
functions, for bank and soil protection and raw materials for handicraft such as weaving and
basketry. (Hj. Majizat et al., 2019)

References

Book

Haslam, S. (2003). Understanding wetlands. London: Taylor & Francis.

Hj. Majizat, H., Abdullah, P., Ahmad, P., Noordin, N. and Abdul Rahaman, N. (2019). Biodiversity
in an Urban Ecosystem Putrajaya Lake and Wetland. Putrajaya.

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Internet

Ramsar.org. (2014). Malaysia | Ramsar. [online] Available at:

https://www.ramsar.org/wetland/malaysia [Accessed 11 Feb. 2019].

Abdul Hamid, Z. (2019). Peatlands threatened. [online] Nst.com.my. Available at:

https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2019/02/459026/peatlands-threatened
[Accessed 3 Mar. 2019].

Journal

M. Zainora, A., Zainul Ariffin, A. and Hassan, A. (2009). Wetland Management of Kuala Selangor
Nature Park, Selangor.

Maulan, S. (2006). A Perceptual Study of Wetlands: Implications for Wetland Restoration in the
Urban Area in Malaysia.

Asmawi, M. (2007). The Efforts of Town Planning System in Wetland Management in Peninsular
Malaysia. [online] Available at: http://irep.iium.edu.my/3265/ [Accessed 2 Mar. 2019].

Giosa, E., Mammides, C. and Zotos, S. (2018). The importance of artificial wetlands for birds: A
case study from Cyprus. PLOS ONE, 13(5), p.e0197286.

Sim, C., Yusoff, M., Shutes, B., Ho, S. and Mansor, M. (2008). Nutrient removal in a pilot and full
scale constructed wetland, Putrajaya city, Malaysia. Journal of Environmental Management,
88(2), pp.307-317.

Ghosh, A., Mondal, S. and Kole, D. (2018). Environmental Impact Assessment: A Case Study on
East Kolkata Wetlands.

Bhattacharyya, A., Roy, S. and Mazumdar, A. (2008). A Critical Study on Status of East Kolkata
Wetlands with Special Emphasis on Water Bird is an Bio-Indicator.

Dissertation

Al Amawi, R. (2014). Urban Design Strategies for Intervention of Constructed Wetlands in Semi-
Arid Zone: An Application on the case of Abu Nakha Wetlands in Doha, Qatar. Degree of Master

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of Science in Urban Planning and Design. Qatar University.
In text cite : (Al Amawi, 2014)

Presentation or Lecture

Sreetheran, M. (2019). Wetland, Riverbank and Coastal Ecology.

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