Month: November 2008

Effective conservation takes knowledge, foresight, patience, cooperation and most importantly individual responsibility. This is what is at the core of KZN Biodiversity Stewardship Programme, championed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW) and launched recently at the Botanical Gardens in Pietermaritzburg. The programme aims to protect vital ecosystems and threatened species by securing stewardship agreements with landowners who own property in priority conservation area’s around the province.

Eighty percent of land that is important to biodiversity in KwaZulu-Natal does not lie within protected areas. This means that many of the six thousand species of animals and plants that make KZN a ‘biodiversity hot spot’ are under threat. (Conservation International describes biodiversity hotspots as “the richest and most threatened reservoirs of plant on animal life on Earth”, http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org) Many of these priority conservation area’s fall within private and communal owned land and this is where individual responsibility comes in. The new initiative encourages landowners within the province to become partners with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife in applying the stewardship principles on their land and to take responsibility for the protection of their particular assets. There are various options for landowners and EKZNW offers numerous incentives including financial and advisory contributions.

The programme is supported by the KZN Dept of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs (DEAT) and a number of conservation NGO’s including the Hilton-based Wildlands Conservation Trust as well as Conservation International, WWF-SA, the Botanical Society of South Africa and others. Programme Manager, Mr Kevin McCann spoke of the importance of these cooperative partnerships for the success of the programme “With the significant task ahead of us in securing critical biodiversity in the province, we rely heavily on partnering with landowners and other conservation organisations, bringing our own skills and value in order to achieve a common goal’.

Since the start of the two-year pilot phase of the process (this is where patience must be applied) nine sites have been piloted, including five area’s within two hours of Pietermaritzburg. This will secure more than 30 000ha of land, which although this is only a little over 1% of the total targeted, it includes the protection of seven vulnerable, endangered and critically endangered vegetation types and threatened species such as Blue Swallow, Wattled Crane, Long-toed Tree Frog, Wild Dog, Black Rhino and Oribi antelope. So there is a long way to go but seeing that our children will surely benefit from this programmes foresight, and ecosystem services provided by natural systems in KZN are worth approximately R151 billion annually, I’d say its worth the effort.

For more information visit www.kznwildlife.com or contact the KZN Biodiversity Stewardship Programme Manager Kevin McCann on 033 845 1805, or on email at mccannk@kznwildlife.com.

The Marutswa Forest logo is appropriately telling of the forest’s finest features, its majestic Yellowwoods and colourful Cape Parrots, and of course the backdrop of Bulwer Mountain which certainly creates a presence. But Marutswa has lots more to offer so best take a drive through the midlands and out to Bulwer to walk through the magical 3000ha forest yourself.

Marutswa has a history of abuse dating back to the 1800’s when the forest was logged for its valuable timber. Today, people walking though the forest are all giving back to it rather than taking out. This is thanks to local volunteers who formed ‘The Bulwer Biosphere’ to tackle conservation problems on behalf of the Bulwer community, and saw eco-tourism as a way of ensuring the survival of the shrinking forest and an opportunity for the nearby Bidla community to benefit. The profits from the centre are split between the community and the Biosphere.

The walk is approx 2km (one-way) through the forest and there are viewing decks, observation jetties and lovely picnic spots as well as an observation tower that looks out over the forest’s canopy. Apart from rare and endangered Cape Parrots which can be spotted in flocks of up to 50-70 at a time, nesting in the yellowwoods and feasting on their seeds, you might also spot the Green Twinspot, the Orange Ground Thrush, Bush Black Caps, the Knysna Touraco, and even Ground Hornbills. There are also Bush Buck, Reed Buck, Bush pig and Dassies living in the forest (if you don’t see the Dassies you’ll definitely smell them!) It’s not all about what you can spot though, and the ferns, tree orchids and ancient vines alone make the forest feel truly magical.

The interpretive centre has a refreshment kiosk, an indigenous nursery and comprehensive interpretation facilities as well as an arts and crafts gallery displaying some unique crafts made by local community members. If you’d like more trained eye’s and ears with your group there are two local guides on site who give well-informed guided walks through the forest.

For more information on the Marutswa Forest Walk call 082 325 3514 or visit www.kznbirding.co.za.

Opening Times: 6am – 4pm 7 days a week including public holidays
Entrance Fee: R20 Adults, R5 Pensioners and scholars and Free for pre-school children
Accredited Birding and Cultural Tour Guide available on request at R20 pp
Large parties catered for – please book in advance

This weekend 200 rural children from one of KwaZulu-Natal’s poorest communities participated in their first ever duathon. The 2.5k run and 6km cycle had KwaJobe’s youth running and cycling their hearts out for top honours. But these aren’t just ordinary kids, they are ‘tree-preneurs’ – children who grow indigenous trees to provide for themselves and their families as part of the Wildlands Conservation Trust’s Indigenous Trees for Life Programme. This weekend, they learned that not only is conservation important, but so is having a whole lot of fun!

The Bonitas Sunday Tribune KwaJobe Community Challenge began like any other professional sports event, amidst a flutter of banners, rolling camera’s and clapping spectators. But there is something a little more special about this event than most others. The Jobe community is home to the first Indigenous Trees for Life project started more than four years ago and many of the original growers participated in the challenge on the weekend. The programme teaches vulnerable women and children to grow indigenous trees, which, once they have reached a certain size, can be traded back to Wildlands for food, clothes, personal care products, and agricultural goods as part of the programmes ‘tree stores’ initiative. Since the first seeds were planted in the soil of KwaJobe in 2004, the project has grown to include more than 2500 tree-preneurs growing trees in 23 communities around KZN, and recently, two other provinces in South Africa.

The event forms part of the Bonitas Wild Series, a series of 11 sporting events held to raise funds for the conservation projects of the Wildlands Conservation Trust and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. Community events are historically held the day before some of the professional events to give the local children in the area a fun day out and get them involved in sport. The new community challenges have turned into events in their own right with the help of sponsors Bonitas, Sunday Tribune, and Powerade. “We want to give the kids the experience of being involved in a real sporting event and to say thank you to them for playing their part in saving our planet and making a difference”, said Wild Series co-ordinator Heidi Mocke. “Playing sport is not only about being fit and healthy, but it is also a great way to connect with others, make friends, get rid of negative energy and learn discipline. It also helps with keeping curious young minds out of trouble! Mostly, we want these kids to have an absolute blast, and make it a day they will remember for the rest of their lives!”
The addition of community challenges [to the Wild Series] seemed inevitable after the Qhubeka initiative, a bicycle distribution programme, sourced bicycles for the children to barter for their trees. Tree-preneurs ‘pay’ 100 trees for a bike, a small feat when most kids have nurseries of over 1000 trees in their back garden. Qhubeka’s contribution was initially to provide mobility to children and families who have to walk miles to get to school and the shops but with the expansion of the Wild Series, made possible by Bonitas’ full sponsorship of the series, it seemed a sports event for the kids was a must! And so, the first community challenge was held in the eSikhawini community just outside Richards Bay to pilot the concept. It proved such a hit with the kids that Wildlands would eventually like to run these events in all 23 of the Indigenous Trees for Life programmes.

Every child who participated will be receiving a copy of the Sunday Tribune bearing their results as a keepsake. They also received medals, t-shirts and food and drinks on the day. The top three boys and girls also received Unilever hampers containing food, toiletries and blankets for their athleticism.

Please visit www.qhubeka.com for more on the Qhubeka initiative and www.wildseries.co.za for more on the Bonitas Wild Series.
Winners:

Boys:
1st: NDUMISO NXUMALO
2nd: BONGANI GINA
3rd: THABANI NHLENYAMA
Girls:
1st: NTOMBENHLE NSUKWINI
2nd: LINDELANI SIYAYA
3rd: NQOBILE MTHETHWA