New plot clearing plan in place
Capable conservancies will take over the task of cleaning overgrown properties.
LOCAL conservancies will work with Hibiscus Coast Municipality to ensure the clearing of overgrown private properties in the municipal area is done without harming the environment.
Conservancies are registered associations made up of volunteers who care for natural resources sustainably in given areas under their jurisdiction. A number of well-established local conservancies, with the skills and expertise to do so, will take over the task of clearing overgrown plots, using environmentally sound principles and ensuring that invasive aliens are removed.
According to the municipality’s policy regarding the clearing of overgrown properties, owners of properties in need of clearing are sent registered letters. If the letters are ignored, the municipality clears the property and bills the registered owners for the costs of clearing.
The municipality has now taken the decision to engage competent conservancies and other non-government organisations as its agents, for the next three years. These community organisations will do the required plot clearing manually and, as a follow-up, will remove any reoccurring invasive alien weeds three months later.
Paddy Norman, the chairman of the South Coast branch of the Wildlife and Environmental Society of South Africa (Wessa) pointed out that the conservancies performed valuable services for the communities in which they operated and were taking on a major and time-consuming responsibility by agreeing to do the plot clearing.
“All our conservancies are desperately short of manpower and yet, with just a handful of volunteers, they do an enormous amount of work. I ask South Coast residents to support their conservancies either by joining them or simply by lending a hand occasionally. Every little bit of assistance would be valued,” he said.
Anyone who wishes to object to the municipality’s decision regarding the conservancy partnership must lodge his or her objection with the Office of the Municipal Manager before March 26. Objections may be emailed to mm@hcm.gov.za or faxed at 086 5297195. For more information contact Tony Davis at 039 3166125.
