Environmental impacts on lake Azué௠in Haiti due to degradation of its watershed

5 V. Conclusions and Recommendations:

Today, the available information we have shows clearly that the Azuei Lake is threatened by deforestation and degradation of its systematic watershed (the South side of the chain of Trou d'Eau and the North side of the chain of Selle). The case of eutrophication potential experienced by the lake Azuei is not unique. Because runoff carry along a lot of sediment which, by input of nutrients (P, N), change the ecological balance of the lake. We should also mention activities such as overfishing, uncontrolled hunting and agriculture in the immediate area as threats to the proper functioning of the Lake.

To mitigate the situation, we must:

· Establish a system for collecting data on a regular basis on the physico-chemical parameters and pluviometric of the lake,

· Conduct research at the hydrogeological system supplied to the lake to better understanding the process of raising the level of the lake,

· Engage in political and technical discussions for the development of a sustainable development and rehabilitation the watershed of Lake Azuei.

Finally, efforts should also be made to classify Lake Azuei as a reserved area. In this sense, steps will be taken by the Haitian authorities to the Ramsar Convention^3(*) to make the lake an International Wetland Area.

6 References

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* ³The Ramsar Convention is the only global environmental treaty that deals with a particular ecosystem. The treaty was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and the Convention's member countries cover all geographic regions of the planet. It is an international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.