Successful first year for ‘green’ forum

OVER the last 20 years the face of conservation had changed tremendously and local conservancies and conservation groups had moved with the times.

Speaking at the South Coast Conservation Forum’s first annual general meeting, held at the Ramsgate whale viewing platform, chairman Dave Hallé said those involved in conservation had broadened their focus. They now looked at the bigger environmental picture and local groups had followed suit.

Globally, the green movement, once sidelined, had moved to centre-stage as more people began to realise the importance of looking after their environment. Methods of educating the public had changed, too.

“It is no good lecturing people. Instead, our conservation group holds walks and interesting events that encourage people to become environmentally aware. Instead of telling them, we show them that conservation does matter and invite them to be part of it,” he said.

In this regard, South Coast conservancies and conservation groups had excelled during the last year and, in many other ways, they had ensured that conservation on the South Coast was in a healthy state. By maintaining so many of the South Coast’s walking trails, nature reserves and patches of natural vegetation, they were providing many sought-after public amenities. “Conservancies are playing a major tourism role,” he said.

Dave also spoke about the evolving function of the forum, which had been formalised a year ago as an umbrella body for the different conservancies and conservation groups. While individual conservancies operated independently, the forum provided a united front for conservation.

The meeting agreed with Dave that the membership fee of R100 per conservancy be dropped. After the committee had unravelled a great deal of red tape it had succeeded in registering the forum as a non-profit organisation. However, it did not need to raise funds as its main role continued to be to provide a strong voice regarding conservation issues affecting the South Coast.

It was also decided that each member conservancy should put forward the name of a representative who would liaise between it and the forum.

Last year, at the inaugural meeting, the forum had formally adopted as its mission, the task of maintaining and improving continuous biological corridors in the Ugu District. Special attention would be paid to the admiralty reserve, river valleys and estuaries. In this way the forum would ensure the retention and enhancement of habitat and the genetic flow of faunal and floral species occurring in the region.

Reviewing the mission statement, Dave was pleased to report that the local conservancies were achieving this aim. A number of new organisations had come into being during the year or were in the process of being formed. There was now an almost unbroken chain of conservancies working independently but in co-operation with each other, along the South Coast.

During the year, forum committee member Peter Vos had kept communications flowing between the member organisations. The committee had also focused on recycling. Dave was pleased to report that a pilot scheme, a door to door collection service for waste that could be recycled, was up and running. Hopefully this could eventually be implemented right along the South Coast.

Dave also reported that the forum was making strides regarding its empty plot rehabilitation programme and that it would continue to work closely with the ‘Working for the Coast’ organisation regarding the eradication of invasive weeds. It would also encourage the establishment of environmentally sound coastal walkways and cycle tracks where practical.

The meeting ended with a vote of thanks to the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife honorary officers for the delicious breakfast they had provided for everyone there.