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Table 6-9. Estimated IUV for wildlife refuge for the wetland and Ramsar site
2005 2006
Wetland 68.5 76.8
Ramsar site 33.4 45.5
An attempt was made to assign indirect use values of wildlife refuge to the different land categories,
based on their importance as wildlife refuge. While most wildlife resources are found in the southern
part of the delta, the normally flooded areas and the panhandle ultimately determine the fate of wildlife
species 8 , and therefore the weight of both areas is relatively high. Each category has been given a
weight of 0.3, indicative of the fact that most wildlife would not survive without these areas. The other
categories are considered to be equally important for wildlife and therefore have been given weights
of 0.1333 each.
Table 6-10. Indirect use value of delta wildlife by land category (Pula million; 2005).
Land category area (km 2 ) Hunting value Eco tourism value total value
1 water-pan handle 1,446 15.4 7.7 23.1
2 normally flooded area 2,152 15.4 7.7 23.1
3 seasonally flooded 2,328 6.8 3.4 10.2
4 occasionally flooded 3,534 6.8 3.4 10.2
5 rarely flooded 19,322 6.8 3.4 10.2
Total 28,782 51.2 25.6 76.8
Table 6-10 clearly shows that the panhandle and the normally flooded areas are most valuable for
wildlife. The growth of the tourism sector is expected to lead to an increase in the indirect use value of
the wetland’s wildlife. Assuming that tourism would be at par with hunting, the value would increase to
P 48.8 million.
6.3.5 Purification of water
The environment has the natural ability to absorb some pollution without a cost to society (e.g. water
treatment costs). Purification of water is therefore an indirect use value.
The study looked primarily at wastewater generated by the domestic sector, businesses and
government and in tourism camps.
The population density in and around the wetland is very low. Most people live in Maun and in a
cluster of villages in the panhandle. There are very few commercial sources of pollution. The use of
pesticides and fertilisers in agriculture is minimal, and no significant industries that could cause
significant pollution appear to occur in the Ramsar site. Villages and the growing number of tourist
camps are probably the main sources of pollution.
In order to value the water purification function, the types and amount of pollution were estimated
together with the value their natural purification.
Pollution sources and types
Most villages have a water reticulation system which offers three forms of access to water: 1.
standpipes in villages; 2. a water connection inside the yard; and 3. a house connection. Water from
standpipes is free of charge, but households are charged for yard and house connections proportional
to the monthly use. Due to rising living standards, private connections in the yard or house are
increasing. According to the National Master Plan for Sanitation and Wastewater, only 26.8% of
domestic water use is linked to waterborne sanitation, and only 10% of that is connected to the
sewage system; ninety percent ends up in septic tanks and soak ways.
7 Personal communication Dr. J. Perkins.
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