Training programme on Urban Wetlands Management

Date: 25 September – 28 September, 2018
Venue: Anil Agarwal Environment Training Institute (AAETI)                      

The School of Water and Waste at Anil Agrawal Environment Training Institute (AAETI), Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) organized a four days training on “Urban Wetlands Management”.  The focus of the training was to develop in-depth understanding on the status of urban lakes specifically.The training’s methodology was based on the ‘Harvard Case Method’, which conveys teaching messages through case examples that made the program interactive, encouraged group discussionsand involved practical work through Do-it-yourselfgroup exercises.

A total of 25 practitioners (academicians, students, engineers, architects, planners and consultants) across diverse regions of India and one participant from Nepal took part in the training program. The program was aimedto develop and improve their understanding on conservation, restoration and management of wetlands for water and environmental sustainability in urban areas.

The day 1 was dedicated to set the context of training and started with discussions on prevailing wisdom of considering lakes and water bodies as important in terms of socio-economic and cultural activities through sharing responsibility and involvement. It was highlighted how this wisdom is dying with increasing urbanization. This was followed by introduction to wetlands/ lakes in urban context; associated management and environmental issues including lacking policy and regulation interlinks; Importance of integrated lake-basin management. Interactive group exercises during the day encouraged open discussions on the importance and relevance of urban wetlands.

Day 2 highlighted the role of urban wetlands in the overall hydrological cycle and local ecosystem. There were dedicated sessions on different functions and uses of wetlands: groundwater recharge, water quality control and pollution abatement, climate resilience including flood control and, maintenance of biodiversity and livelihood.  The group exercises during the day made the participants to work and evaluate case examples quantitatively by way to economic evaluation. Another activity was able to help participants correlate the causes, effects and results of floods with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It was also understood how understanding this helps effective mitigation of floods.

The day 3 involved sessions, discussions and group exercises on solutions to urban wetlandmanagement issues including introduction to GIS as a tool to understand and/or monitorurban wetlands and their catchments. There were detailed sessions on understanding catchment for identifying opportunities for urban wetlands management, pollution abatement through sewage or contaminated runoff for urban wetlandsthrough constructed wetlands and GIS based hands-on-experience that enabled working on digitized catchment. The day concluded with sessionon urban lake management plan and an engrossing role play exercise that helped in identification key stakeholder groups for planning and management of urban wetlands.

The day 4 was all hands-on exercise and experience sharing be experts. Session onstakeholders identification, mapping and engagement strategies at various levels; and Do-it-yourself exercises on urban lake management planning proposal concluded the programme. 

Attached is a detailed list of participants

For further information contact 

Chhavi Sharda
Deputy Programme Manager, Water Programme
+91-11-40616000 (Ext: 244), 
Email: chhavi@cseindia.org 

Rudresh Kumar Sugam
Senior Programme Manager, Water Programme
+91-11-40616000 (Ext: 389),
Email:rudresh.sugam@cseindia.org                                                                                     

Dr. Suresh Kumar Rohilla, Senior Director& Academic Director, 
(School of Water and Waste, Anil Agarwal Environment Training Institute – AAETI). 
srohilla@cseindia.org