Month: December 2010

The Wildlands Conservation Trust (Wildlands) has purchased Dartmoor Farm (800ha) in the Karkloof District for some R3.3m, to help grow and consolidate the Greater Karkloof Conservation Area (3100ha including Dartmoor). The farm is being proclaimed as a protected area, and will be donated to Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife early in 2011.
Says Wildlands Programme Manager, Dr Roelie Kloppers: “The Karkloof is rich in threatened and endemic biodiversity, which is protected in small, isolated conservation areas spread throughout the district. Dartmoor forms an important corridor linking the various fragmented pieces of land into a consolidated conservation area. Dartmoor has been at the top of Ezemvelo’s wish list for areas to bring under conservation for the last thirty years.”

Dartmoor was chosen because of its biodiversity; the irreplaceable habitat includes mist belt grasslands that support such critically endangered species as Oribi and Wattled Crane. By virtue of its crucial location, Dartmoor also links existing Protected Areas in the Karkloof conservation area to create a single, contiguous conservation area with a mix of government and private sector landowners.

According to Ezemvelo Ecological Advice Coordinator for uKhahlamba, Ian Rushworth: “This area is one of the two most important Wattled Crane breeding areas in the country. Its value is critical from this perspective. The fact that it will be fenced and patrolled will make Wattled Crane chicks less vulnerable to attacks by feral dogs. The area also has the potential to become one of the more important Oribi conservation areas in the province. It could easily support two or three dozen Oribi, and the fences and patrols will reduce the risk of poaching by dog hunters. The purchase and donation of Dartmoor by Wildlands to Ezemvelo is contributing directly to achieving our conservation objectives in the province.”

Kloppers says the Wildlands Conservation Trust has granted R5 million to Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife this year to support formal conservation activities in the province. The new grant follows a R4,4 million grant made to Ezemvelo between 2007 and 2010 to support projects such as Wild Dog monitoring, and Bearded Vulture research. This time the grant is being used to support the provincial protected areas expansion plan. The Greater Karkloof Conservation Area will be integrated into Ezemvelo’s Stewardship Programme, which gives private and communal landowners the tools to protect their land and contribute to provincial conservation targets while receiving various incentives and benefits from the State for doing so.

Photographs: Stewart Nolan

Dignitaries give a thumbs up to the top 10 ‘tree-preneurs’ rewarded for growing trees to support their livelihoods. The KZN premiers office launched their ‘One Child, One Fruit Tree’ campaign this weekend as part of World Children’s Day celebrations near Empangeni. These were 10 of 450 youngsters who received fruit trees on the day.

Four hundred and fifty ‘tree-preneurs’ from in and around the Empangeni area this weekend received fruit trees as a reward for their (indigenous) tree-growing efforts. The rewards ceremony, held at Ntuze Sports Ground in the Umhlatuze Municipality, formed part of the launch of the Office of the Rights of the Child’s ‘One Child, One Fruit Tree’ campaign and World Children’s Day celebrations. The tree-growers, their families, and children from neighbouring schools celebrated with dignitaries from the municipality and partner NGO, the Wildlands Conservation Trust.

The recipients of the orange and naartjie trees form part of Wildlands’ Sustainable Communities initiative (previously known as Indigenous Trees for Life). These youngsters were the top performing growers in the region. Wildlands teaches the children to grow indigenous trees from seed and then when they reach a certain height the children can barter them back for goods: food, clothes, bicycles, building materials, water tanks and even school and university fees. The top ‘tree-preneur’ 14 year old Angeline Msane from kwaMbonambi has grown and traded 3412 trees in the last financial year adding up to an incredible R22 865 worth of goods received. The children do not receive cash for their trees to ensure they are not made vulnerable.

Ms Dorothy Skhosana, Keynote speaker and Chairperson of theQuality of Life Standing Committee, Office of the Premier, with the top two tree growers, Thembisile Msane (left) and Angeline Msane (right) after a reward ceremony at World Children’s Day celebrations in Empangeni this weekend. 450 ‘tree-preneurs’ received fruit trees on the day.

The keynote speaker Ms Dorothy Skhosana, Chairperson of the Quality of Life Standing Committee praised the initiative for addressing so many levels of need: “Beyond the trees, we need to make sure that no child goes without food and I think this project [Sustainable Communities] gives them something useful they can contribute to the community”. Many of the trees grown by the tree-preneurs are used to green their communities or used in reforestation projects such as at the Ongoye Forest which flanks another of the active communities, Mzimela. The nearby Dube and eSikhawini communities are also involved in the project.

Dr Venter, CEO of the Wildlands Conservation Trust spoke directly to the tree-preneurs in the crowd and said: “You are going to be the leaders of tomorrow, our green leaders” and urged them to keep making the difference in their own lives. He also thanked donors Old Mutual, Richards Bay Coal Terminal, Richards Bay Minerals and BHP Billiton for their ongoing support of the project in the area.