WHITE RIVER-The WESSA (Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa) 90th AGM is happening this weekend, starting off with a festive wine auction at Casterbridge Theatre tonight at 18:00 at no charge. You just need to bring a bottle of wine to auction off and can even win with the highest bid of the night a holiday at the Blyde Canyon to the worth of R12 500. Phone Brenda on 0828209855 for more information.

WESSA is one of the country’s oldest and largest non-government environmental organisations. It is its milestone 90th birthday this year with an AGM with the theme Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

Considering the special history the organisation shares with SANParks, it is only fitting that the organisation’s 2016 AGM will be held in the Kruger National Park, and that the first presentation will be on Harry Wolhuter, the first ranger of the KNP. His grandson, maverick film maker, Kim Wolhuter, will also be a speaker at the AGM.

The Lowveld Region of WESSA was invited to host the AGM this year because the Region incorporates much of the KNP.

The association between WESSA and SANParks dates back to 1926 when the then disbanded Transvaal Game Protection Association (TGPA) members formed the Wildlife Protection Society.

Their first resolution was to urge the Minister of Lands to proceed with the National Parks Bill as quickly as possible, following 14 years of lobbying by the TGPA for the Sabie and Shingwedzi Reserves to be nationalised. This successful campaigning by the Society led to the proclamation of the KNP.

Over the past 90 years WESSA has continued to play a strong role in shaping conservation practices throughout South Africa, including advocating for the formation of a number of other national parks in the country.

 This was achieved, and in recognition of its contribution to the creation of the National Parks Board the WPS ( now WESSA) was given a permanent seat on the Board. When the Act was revised in 1976 the Society’s membership on the Board was retained.

Having clamoured for the formation of the National Parks Board, WESSA went on to lobby for the formation of Provincial Conservation Departments, and the registration of numerous Provincial Nature Reserves.

Mr. Richard Pott, chairman of WESSA Lowveld region, recently said to Lowvelder: “Where to now, one might ask? What is WESSA’s next major challenge? I think it must be education, and believe that the Eco Schools project is addressing this head-on.”

Pott said that over the years WESSA has evolved from a solely membership driven organisation to one that has two legs – with membership being one, and a professional core being the other. The professional side is involved in high-level projects.

“The challenge now is for WESSA National to become BEE compliant, and meet with the stringent Corporate Governance requirements. And the challenge for membership is to recruit more young members that better represent the demographics of our country,” he explained. “Mankind is trashing our little planet, and at the same time demanding that it provides more and more goods and services. Never before was there a greater need for people who care for the earth. That is us.”

For the past year WESSA Lowveld ‘s main focus has once again been on rhino protection and they have sponsored tracker dogs in the Imfolozi Game Reserve.

The AGM will kick off at 9:00 on Saturday 17 September with the Chairman’s report being tabled and awards handed over.

A few interesting presentations will be made. Pott will kick off the presentations at the AGM before lunch at 12:00 with a presentation on Harry Wolhuter and the Lion. This is the famous anecdote about the first ranger of the KNP who was riding on horseback along what is today Lindanda Road when two lions attacked him shortly after nightfall.

Pott will give an interesting insight into what happened after Wolhuter toppled from his horse and managed to retrieve his sheath knife from his belt.

This would be followed by Chris Green who would relate some of the highlights and achievements of WESSA through their ninety years of existence.

Chris Galliers, of the WESSA Rhino Initiative is on at 13:30 after lunch to talk about this WESSA-project to raise funds and awareness in order to help curb rhino poaching and to contribute towards a number of important national intervention strategies to secure wild rhino populations, forever.

This wil be followed by a presentationon Rhino Rage by Alex Kennaught.

WESSA’s ECO-Schools project is an international programme of the Foundation for Environmental Education. This program was created the programme to support environmental learning in the classroom. The project manager of ECO Schools in the Lowveld, Trust Ndlovu, will share some of the sustained environmental projects that he has initiated in recent years in the Lowveld.

This will be followed by a presentation by Pieter Burger, KZN Chairman of WESSA. He will discuss the newly-developed WESSA membership web portal, and how it can be used to support the work and activities of the Society’s members, branches, friends’ groups and conservancies.With ambition to attract younger membership, the online space is important. The portal is reported to serve as a virtual meeting place.

Another Wolhuter, Kim, grandson to Harry and a wildlife photographer and cinematographer known for documentaries like Stalking Leopards and Africa’s Deadly Dozen, will also speak on the day.

The AGM will be hosted at the KNP Skukuza Conference Centre on Saturday 17 September. For further information about the event please contact Brenda Archdeacon on 082 820 9855 or email brenda@era01.co.za

To learn more about WESSA and its rich history visit www.wessa.org.za