Environmental valuation of urban wetlands in Cartagena de Indias - Colombia

Abstract

The purpose of this work was to make a visual assessment of the wetlands considered urban in the city; as well as identifying the diverse ecosystems of urban wetlands most important at a local level, and the regulations that promote the conservation and protection of these in Colombia. The base of the findings was supported by field visits to nine (9) wetlands, identifying that the criteria that significantly affect their quality are eutrophication, contamination by solid waste and wastewater, product of unplanned urban settlements, causing the state of neglect in which most of these bodies of water are found, destroying the existing eco-systemic balance. The importance of the findings of this work lies in the fact that it is searched to generate awareness in society regarding the importance of preserving this type of ecosystem, as well as the priority of environmental and ecological education in the communities located in its zones of influence that contribute to the preservation of the environment and the species that coexist in these ecological niches.