Although wetlands in Tanzania and Kenya have great potentials for agricultural production and a multitude
of uses, many of them are not even documented on official maps. Lack of official recognition has
done little in preventing there over utilization. As the wetlands continue to play remarkable roles in
the movement of people and terrestrial species in the region, it is important that they are monitored
and properly managed. This study was undertaken in Usambara highlands and the Pangani floodplain
in Tanzania, the Mount Kenya highlands and Laikipia floodplain in Kenya to map the different types of
wetlands in terms of their size, density, spatial distribution and use patterns. Remote sensing techniques
and field surveys were adopted, and 51 wetlands were identified in flood plains within the semi-arid and
sub-humid lowlands, and inland valleys in the region. The detailed maps generated showed the intensity
of wetland use, inland valleys being the most intensively used, and are useful in monitoring changes
in wetlands for their effective management. The use of multispatial resolution imagery, combined with
field survey and GIS produced satisfactory results for the delineation and mapping of small wetlands and
their uses.