Tools for Wetland Ecosystem Resource Management in East Africa: Focus on the Lake Victoria Papyrus Wetlands

Lake Victoria is an ecological and economic resource of primary value. The wetlands that cover much of the lake shoreline provide a fundamental service in maintaining water quality, fisheries productivity and local meteorology. The management and maintenance of these papyrus wetlands are basic for any hope of controlling or reversing the eutrophication of the lake waters, in particular in the vital inshore area where fisheries are most important. In these areas, the presence of coastal wetlands strongly influences the optical and trophic characteristics of the inshore waters. Local water and energy exchanges are also strongly influenced by wetland conditions. The role of latent heat exchange in maintaining the micro-meteorological of the local watershed is influenced by the wetland vegetation and extension.