Memorial for conservation giant

Conservation on the North Coast has lost a giant with the death last week of Fokko Fokkens of Blythedale.

Fokkens, a former engineer in the sugar industry, was a passionate member of the uMvemvane honorary officers at Harold Johnson Nature Reserve (HJNR) on the south bank of the Tugela River for 31 years.

Fellow officer Zaid Hoosen said he met Fokko more than 30 years ago when he was running the boy scouts troop in Stanger.

At the time Dymock Brett and John Dives were trying to get the local schools interested in environmental education and had groups of 50 to 60 learners to HJNR at least one weekend a month.

This was when Fokko became very involved with his passion for conservation and enthusiasm for young people.

He joined as an honorary officer. Apart from his massive input into Coast Care, scouts and environmental impact assesments, Fokko quickly rose to become chairman of the Tugela group, fondly known as the ‘bushpigs’.

He was also a member of the conservancies of Blythdale and Zinkwazi and served on the central committee as well as well as being a trustee of the Community Conservation Forum.

To mark his years of service to the conservation lobby and to Harold Johnson reserve, a gazebo there was recently named in his honour.

A memorial service will be held at the Stanger town hall this Thursday, November 16, from midday.

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