Green Economy guidelines will inform efforts to sustain a balance between economic growth and responsible use of land and natural resources in the Eastern Cape, said MEC for Environmental Affairs Sakhumzi Somyo at an event near Grahamstown last weekend, where he also announced that the province has been given R7.5 million towards protecting rhinos.
Green Economy guidelines will inform efforts to sustain a balance between economic growth and responsible use of land and natural resources in the Eastern Cape, said MEC for Environmental Affairs Sakhumzi Somyo at an event near Grahamstown last weekend, where he also announced that the province has been given R7.5 million towards protecting rhinos.
MEC for the Eastern Cape’s Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Somyo announced this at a gathering to honour field rangers at Thomas Baines nature reserve on Friday 12 August.
From January to June this year, the International Ranger Association and Game Rangers Association of Africa have recorded 111 rangers worldwide who have lost their lives protecting the world’s natural heritage. Of those, 32 were in Africa.
This was one of the working realities of the Province’s biodiversity heroes, and a reason to honour them in lieu of World Rangers Day, marked internationally on 31 July, said board member of the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency Andrew Muir.
Muir presented a grim picture of how natural resources across South Africa were being exploited in an unsustainable way.
“We currently have four endemic freshwater fish species, eight threatened marine fish species, six threatened frog species (four of these are endemic), 19 threatened reptile species (18 of these are endemic) and three centres of endemism in the Province and over 300 threatened plant species.
“With statistics like that you can only imagine the mammoth task these men and women face every day to aid and protect the beautiful Eastern Cape,” Muir said.
Muir acknowledged the tough working conditions of rangers, and cited a WWF survey indicating that 77 percent of rangers see their families for 10 days or less a month because of work commitments.
“We note that 75 percent of you experience intimidation and threats because of the work you perform.”
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism MEC Sakhumzi Somyo said the provincial Tourism Agency had contributed to the department’s status as a leader in combating rhino poaching and environmental crimes.
Rhino poaching incidents in March and April led to a major breakthrough in the province, Somyo said. Three suspects arrested were directly linked to poaching incidents within the province and throughout the country.
“This is testimony that even through testing trials field rangers remain steadfast in their duties of protecting cherished wildlife.”
The collaborative effort by the Hawks, SAPS Stock Theft, Provincial Tourism and the Department of Environmental Affairs led to the latter channelling R7.5m to ECPTA toward rhino protection, over a three-year period.
“The injection will be utilised towards equipment, training, vehicles and technology that will better equip field rangers to deal with poaching,” Somyo said.
“Protected areas are the cornerstone of the Province's effort to protect and manage biodiversity for current and future generations. Enhancing and expanding the protected area network is an effective strategy for reducing threats to biodiversity.”
Somyo said the Department would continue to strive for a sustainable balance between economic growth and responsible use of land and natural resources through the implementation of Green Economy guidelines for the province, and through providing support for economically beneficial environmental projects at a local level.
The Province has 21 reserves, ranging from endangered species Cape Mountain Zebra to fynbos, subtropical thicket, Karoo, coastal forests and marine resources such as abalone.
Field rangers nominated their colleagues for three awards, as follows: Nkosinathi Tyaveshe for most arrests; Selwyn Saul for ranger of the year and Phazamile Qekele for courage and bravery.
Greenfacts defines biodiversity as “the variability among living organisms from all sources, including terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part”.
Diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems is the basis of ecosystem services that contribute to human well-being and ultimately survival.
Additional source:
http://www.greenfacts.org/
