EASTERN PROVINCE REGION

Contact Us
2b Lawrence Street, Central Hill, Port Elizabeth, 6001, South Africa
PO Box 12444, Centrahil, 6006
Tel +27 (041) 5859606/5851157
Fax +27 (041) 5863228
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Regional Manager : Prof. Martheanne Finnemore
Regional Chairperson : Prof. Chris Jeffery

CONSERVATION

INTRODUCTION
WESSA EP is involved in a diverse range of conservation issues and projects with WESSA’s core focus areas guiding our mandate and involvement.  Activities can be broadly categorised under the following areas:
Community-based Conservation
Sustainable Development
Waste Management
Biodiversity Conservation

COMMUNITY-BASED CONSERVATION

Baakens Valley Recovery Programme (BVRP)
WESSA in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM), and in collaboration with the SAPS, the Baakens Valley Preservation Trust and other stakeholders, have developed the BVRP, a two-year programme funded by the Table Mountain Fund.  The BVRP started in January 2009 and is the second phase to the highly successfully 6-month pilot Baakens Valley Recovery Project (the BVRProject), run by the same partners in the second half of 2007.

The BVRP seeks to enhance the catalytic efforts of the BVRProject to recover the Baakens Valley as a safe community resource and functional fynbos habitat.  The Baakens Valley is a prominent natural feature of Port Elizabeth, NMBM.  The river valley cuts across most of the city.  It forms the backbone of the natural green corridors of the NMBM and much of it is set aside as Public Open Space.  A large section of it is declared as the Settlers Park Nature Reserve.  The Baakens Valley was extensively used for recreation, bird-watching, school and university teaching projects, walking, dog-walking, cycling and botanical appreciation. However, the value of the Baakens Valley as a community resource had largely been undermined because of threats to the safety of visitors and staff.  Criminal activity had resulted in several cases of muggings and theft. There are other threats to the Valley, including the alien invasive plants, squatting, poaching and dumping.

Caption: The Baakens River Valley winds through the centre of Port Elizabeth, and is an important urban conservation and recreational area

The BVRP sets out to recover the Baakens Valley as a safe community resource and functional fynbos habitat.  The goal is to elevate the recreational use and tourism opportunities of the Baakens Valley through the implementation of a ‘Walk Safe Programme’, the creation of a Baakens Valley Eco-Schools Node and by employing management interventions, to protect critical biodiversity within the Baakens Valley. 

Conservancies
In November 2008, the Friends of Cape Recife (FCR), a coalition of various landowners in the Cape Recife (CR) area, NGOs, sporting and recreational groups and individuals, achieved a dream two years in the making.  This was to establish the CR area as a conservancy, as a mechanism for recovering the CR area as a safe recreational and environmental educational resource.

The CR area contains a unique blend of globally important and endangered plant and animal species, including St Francis Dune Fynbos-thicket Mosaic, Roseate Terns, otters and abalone. These are currently experiencing insufficient biodiversity conservation efforts and protection.  The CR area was once popular with surfers, divers, tourists, bird watchers, walkers, fishermen and educational groups but this area had unfortunately been plagued by criminal activities such as car break-ins,  muggings and poaching (buck and abalone) as well as problems relating to bush squatters and illegal dumping.  This area had been rapidly falling into disuse and neglect.

In response to this, the FCR which includes WESSA EP developed the Cape Recife Conservancy to: effectively conserve the biodiversity of the CR area; secure the CR area as a safe community recreational and enriching environmental educational asset; improve tourism opportunities; and deliver benefits to those involved. WESSA EP has played an active role in helping develop this conservancy and resolving some difficult landowner issues. 

	Caption: WESSA is a founder member of the Cape Recife Conservancy

We will continue supporting the establishment of the CR Conservancy, as well as other conservancies and stewardship initiatives in the Eastern Cape.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Blue Flag Beaches Programme
The Blue Flag is an international award given only to those beaches that meet excellence in safety, amenities, cleanliness, and environmental management.  There are 25 Blue Flag criteria that must be met yearly by participating beaches, in order to obtain this annual certificate. The Blue Flag Beaches Programme is managed in South Africa by WESSA.  The Conservation Officer provides support to Alison Kelly, the national manager.  WESSA EP   monitors the 6 full Blue Flag and 7 pilot status Eastern Cape Beaches.  These include beaches at Port St Johns, Gonubie Beach (East London), Kellys Beach (Port Alfred), Wells Estate, Kings, Humewood and Hobie Beaches (Nelson Mandela Bay), Dolphin Beach (Jeffery’s Bay) and Plettenberg Bay. 

The Blue Flag Programme provides a fantastic vehicle to encourage municipalities to adopt appropriate environmental management standards, such as to secure sewage treatment, in the quest to obtain and retain the Blue Flag status symbol.  Blue Flag beaches are shown to draw considerable investment and to attract international tourists

	Blue Flag beaches require the highest standards of life guarding to be offered to beach visitors

Coega IDZ

Since the Coega IDZ concept was first proposed, WESSA-EP has been trying to ensure that the project is developed in the most environmentally sustainable manner and that companies that locate there are required to adhere to strict environmental management standards.  Involvement in the project has included scrutinising the proposed service infrastructure development plans, building works and the various development proposals by companies wanting to locate there.  WESSA represents the interests of several environmental NGO’s and for the environment through active involvement in the Environmental Monitoring Committee (EMC) for the IDZ.

Caption: Construction of a sand-bypass system for the Coega harbour.

WESSA EP proposed to RTA that they need to undertake both social and environmental-responsibility programmes, to compensate for the projected negative impacts of their factory.  This lead to RTA and a group of environmental NGOs, namely the Zwartkops Trust, Endangered Wildlife Trust, the Wilderness Foundation-South Africa, and WESSA EP   forming the Nelson Mandela Bay Coega Aluminium Environmental Alliance in early 2008.  The NMBCAEA aims to proactively achieve full compliance by the CAS project with all environmental legislation.  Further, the goal is to develop and implement green procurement mechanisms and green supply-chain policies.  It is hoped that RTA’s influence will stimulate other companies to adopt similar practices.  This alliance provides an opportunity for both environmentalists and heavy industry to find innovative and non-confrontational mechanisms to achieve long term objectives of securing the environment for future generations. The NMBCAEA has also undertaken a trial carbon sequestration (growing spekboom) project and a number of climate change education projects, funded by RTA.

Visiting the trial planting of spekboom as a carbon sequestrator in the Baviaanskloof Mega-Reserve.  This type of project can also create significant opportunities for rural poverty alleviation

Nuclear Powerstation Proposal at Thuyspunt near Cape St Francis
The EIA for the Nuclear 1 proposal is forging ahead.  The Scoping process has narrowed the five potential sites to three. One of these is located at Thuyspunt near Cape St Francis.  A separate EIA has commenced relating to the positioning of the associated power lines.  Conservation staff members have been significantly involved in scrutinising the EIA process. This has included taking part in a specialist workshop on the possible ecological impacts at the proposed Thuyspunt site and scrutinising the impacts of alternative road and powerline routes.  This major project has highlighted some complex issues in the siting of a nuclear powerstation.

Caption: WESSA members visiting the proposed Thuyspunt site, courtesy of ESKOM

Other EIA cases
WESSA EP is currently registered as an interested and affected party in approximately 60 regional EIAs covering a wide spectrum of activities.  These relate mostly to large resorts, housing estates, chicken sheds, industrial processes and new agricultural lands situated largely around Port Elizabeth, Despatch and in the Humansdorp-Jefferys Bay area. The biggest challenge currently is the expansion of the urban edges, particularly in the coastal zone or into the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Open Space System’s (NMB MOSS) 28 priority conservation areas. The proliferation of resort-housing and golf estates along the Kouga and Ndlambe coastlines is also of great concern.

Recent prominent EIA cases include: Hotazel to Coega IDZ Railway Upgrade, the massive Kalagadi Manganese Smelter in the Coega IDZ, the 5000ha Madiba Bay Leisure Park, Carpe Diem Resort and the La Repose double golf course estate.

WASTE MANAGEMENT
Aloes EMC
WESSA EP is actively involved with monitoring the management of the Aloes High: Hazardous Wastesite, through representation on the Aloes Environmental Management Committee.  It is encouraging to report that the waste management company, EnviroServ, has made great strides in improving the general management of the waste site to the benefit of both the environment and the adjacent Motherwell Township, through strict monitoring regimes and appropriate management responses. 

Aloes H:H Wastesite

However, the Aloes H:H wastesite will become full and will need to close in 2011.  Since 2004, WESSA EP has been part of the EIA process to select a new regional H:H waste site.  After a protracted site selection and impact assessment process, WESSA EP submitted comments on the draft Environmental Impact Report in January 2009.  Provided that the preferred site is selected and then managed according to the proposed operational plan by a competent company/entity, WESSA EP believes that the preferred site can be operated safely.

Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Air Quality Forum
The new National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act mandates municipalities to establish Air Quality Forums where polluters, government and stakeholder groups can constructively engage to manage air pollution.  WESSA EP has assisted the NMBM develop the terms of reference for their AQF, and is an invited stakeholder.  While still in its infancy, this AQF has the potential to deliver meaningful improvements in minimising air pollution, through peer education and pressure.

BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
Eastern Cape Implementation Committee
This committee of senior biodiversity and conservation planners in the Eastern Cape meets quarterly under the mandate of SA National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI).  WESSA EP is represented on this think-tank on issues of biodiversity conservation, conservation planning, coordinating inter-governmental land-use management, policy development and ecological research. The environmental management achievements of Blue Flag in the Eastern Cape have encouraged the ECIC to place Blue Flag as a standing item on its agenda.

Baviaanskloof Mega-Reserve Steering Committee
The BKMR was established in 2004 and is South Africa’s third largest protected area.  It is also a declared World Heritage Site, managed by the Eastern Cape Parks Board with support from the Wilderness Foundation BKMR Project Management Unit.  The BKMR Steering Committee comprises representatives of the BKMR managers, provincial and local government, tourism bodies, surrounding landowners, researchers and other stakeholder groups.  WESSA EP is a founder member and its mandate is to represent the broader environmental concerns relating to the management and expansion of the BKMR.

Caption: Hikers in the Baviaanskloof Wilderness

NMBM Transactional Advisor Project
WESSA EP and tourism expert Peter Myles have been contracted to advise the NMBM on developing ecotourism projects and awarding ecotourism concessions in its nature reserves and open spaces.  This year long project provides a significant opportunity to guide responsible, sustainable development in these reserves and create nature-based jobs. 

C.A.P.E. Biodiversity Conservation Education Programme
This contract for the Cape Action for People and the Environment Programme managed through the Rhodes Environmental Education Unit aims to help the NMBM, SANParks, ECPB and DEDEA develop biodiversity conservation environmental education strategies, under the guidance of Lawrence Sisitka.  It has involved many workshops and telephone discussions and has progressed steadily towards its end goals.  WESSA EP has facilitated these agencies to  work collaboratively to celebrate certain special environmental days over 2009. 

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION:

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: Eco-Schools Programme

WESSA EP supports participation by local schools in the internationally established environmental education Eco-Schools Programme. 

Eco-Schools is a programme designed to implement environmental education and sustainable development in schools.
The programme employs a holistic, participatory approach, combining learning and action. 
The programme provides an effective method for improving the school environment and creates awareness of critical environmental issues and promotes behavioural change in young people and teachers as well as their families and their local communities.
The Eco-Schools programme is run internationally by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).  Awards are made annually on the basis of the submission of a portfolio by a school that illustrates the satisfactory completion of lessons and projects related to specified environmental themes.  Awards range from a Bronze certificate in the first year to an International certificate which can be achieved after five years of sustainable environmental education work at the school.  
In 2008, fifteen schools in the Eastern Province region were awarded flags and certificates. 

Six schools achieved Gold certificates.  These schools are: Canzibe Primary, Gelvandale Primary, Ndyebo High School, St Francis College, Triomf Primary and Woodridge Preparatory. 

Schools are supported with guidance and materials in developing lesson plans relating to the five Eco-School themes namely: Resource Use, Global and Local Issues, Nature and Biodiversity, Healthy Living, and Community and Heritage. 

Schools are also supported with their environmental projects such as with establishing food gardens for nutrition purposes, tree planting and waste recycling.

Two schools, Canzibe Primary and Gelvandale Primary won second and third place for their schools’ food gardens in a competition organized by the Dept of Agriculture and the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality.

Caption: Canzibe Award Winning Food garden

Teachers and learners are invited on guided educational outings.  These include visits to:
 
o Addo Elephant Park
o Aloes Nature Reserve overlooking the Swartkops River
o Mudbanks and the ecology of the Swartkops River
o Flamingo Wetland
o Cape Recife Conservancy for Marine studies
o Baakens River Valley for water monitoring

Caption: looking for mudbank organisms, Swartkops River

WESSA works in partnership with the Zwartkops Trust in conducting these educational outings.

A visit by Eco-School teachers to the Baviaans Kloof was undertaken in December 2008 to view the Rio Tinto Alcan carbon sequestration project managed by the Wilderness Foundation.  This project involves the trial planting of spekboom to rehabilitate farm lands and as spekboom is a significant sequestrator of carbon dioxide (removes CO2 from the air), the project serves also to counter climate change. The outing was organized as part of a Nelson Mandela Bay Coega Aluminium Environmental Alliance project.

Caption: Andrew Skowno of the Wilderness Foundation speaking on planting spekboom as a carbon sequestrator

An exciting excursion on the famous Apple Express from Port Elizabeth to Loerie was organized by the Nelson Mandela Bay Branch for Eco-School teachers and learners in January 2009. This trip was sponsored by Aberdare Cables Limited and Rio Tinto Alcan.

Caption: Stopping at van Stadens Bridge

At Loerie, learners were encouraged to enjoy a close encounter with live snakes – an unforgettable experience for all. Mark Marshall within a short space of time had learners and teachers previously petrified of snakes coming forward to handle some of the harmless species.

Caption: Snakes alive at Loerie

A partnership has also been formed with the Born Free Foundation at Shamwari to provide education opportunities for Eco-School learners.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: Eskom Energy and Sustainability Programme

In partnership with ESKOM, programmes relating to the promotion of awareness of the sustainable use and generation of energy are promoted in local schools.   Practical and innovative projects are undertaken by learners.

Zanuxolo Primary School learners talk to the community about energy

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: Marine Week & Coastal Clean Up

Each year WESSA EP participates in Marine Week.  In 2008, the activities were based on the rocky shore at the Cape Recife Nature Reserve.  WESSA together with a number of NGOs and government agencies each delivered a series of 15 minute talks on marine issues.  WESSA illustrated the variety of the animal life that is supported along the sandy shore.  Learners from five of WESSA’s Eco-Schools’ were transported to Cape Recife over a period of five days.  Approximately 680 learners took part in the event.

Coastal Clean Up week is held annually.  In 2008 WESSA had four school groups out at Blue Water Bay and Swartkops Estuary undertaking coastal clean-up of litter.  The schools were all part of the Eco-Schools programme.  Litter from storm water canals was much in evidence.  Prism/Pick'nPay, Bayworld, SAPPI, PE Beach Office and WESSA combined forces to marshal about 200 adults and learners to cover 3Kms, between Pollock and Flat Rocks, collecting some 200 bags of rubbish (about a ton in mass).  The learners included those from a local orphanage, some of them never having been to the beach before.

Caption: Conservation Intern, Phuti Ngoasheng, sharing a lesson with learners at Cape Recife on sandy shore ecology

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: Motherwell Schools – Upgrading of Water and Sanitation Services project

WESSA EP in partnership with WESSA Border-Kei and Uhambiso Consult (Pty) Ltd is providing an environmental awareness education programme to support the repairs and upgrading of water and sanitation services at 11 Motherwell Schools in Port Elizabeth.  This is a pilot project initiated by the Department of Water Affairs working together with the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.  The objective of the project is to reduce water wastage through upgrading of infrastructure, promote environmental awareness of the need to save water and foster social development in schools and their local communities. The learning materials are supported with resources developed from the 2020 DWAF Vision materials.  The target recipients of the education outreach are the teachers, members of schools governing bodies and learners. Preliminary surveys revealed very poor infrastructure and significant loss of water at the schools through poor maintenance and vandalism.

Caption: A submerged water-meter

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: Old Mutual Out of the Box Programme

In partnership with Old Mutual, local schools are provided with boxes containing lesson plans relating to their curriculum and scientific equipment necessary for the conducting of science based experiments.

Caption: Learners exploring the OOTB Science Box

 PUBLICATIONS:

NEWSLETTER

Eastcape Environmentalist - Vol 1 2010 [560kb]

Eastcape Environmentalist - Vol4 2009 [1MB]  

Eastcape Environmentalist - Vol3 2009 [849kb] 
Eastcape Environmentalist - Vol2 2009 [1MB]

Eastcape Environmentalist - Vol1 2009 [453kb]

 Eastcape Environmentalist - Vol5 2008 [954kb]

 Eastcape Environmentalist - Vol4 2008 [388kb]

 Eastcape Environmentalist - Vol3 2008 [289kb]

 Eastcape Environmentalist - Vol2 2008 [633kb]

 Eastcape Environmentalist - Vol1 2008 [395kb]

STAFF

Martheanne Finnemore – Regional Manager
Professor of Labour Relations in her academic career, she later served as the Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Building Sciences at the University of Port Elizabeth.  She was subsequently engaged as Interim Executive Director of Organisational Transformation and Human Resources during the formation of the newly merged institution of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. As a city councillor during the years 1995 – 2000 she represented the Port Elizabeth Council on the WESSA EP Regional Executive Committee.  She was appointed as Regional Manager for WESSA EP in August 2008.  Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Morgan Griffiths – Conservation Officer
Graduated with an MSC in Conservation Biology (UCT) in 1998.  After working for the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs for 3½ years as an environmental impact assessor, Morgan joined WESSA EP in 2004.  While still involved commenting on EIA applications and waste management issues, much of Morgan’s current focus is on assisting with the Blue Flag Beaches Programme, biodiversity conservation initiatives and managing community-based conservation projects.  He has a particular interest in marine conservation and coastal management.  Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

David Franklin – Conservation Officer
David joined WESSA EP in March 2009 as the Baakens Valley Recovery Programme Coordinator.  He has two BSc degrees from NMMU, in Zoology and GIS; and a post grad Certificate in Education.  He is experienced in undertaking EIAs, biodiversity management, education and in GIS conservation techniques.  Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Cheryl Lipman – Office Manager
Cheryl was schooled in Cape Town and later became very involved in her local community Edgemead. She was elected as chairperson of the Ratepayers Association and sat on the Police Forum for the Goodwood Municipality. Cheryl worked for Edgemead Primary School before moving to Port Elizabeth 11 years ago. She joined WESSA in 2000.
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Pearl Jonas – Education Officer
Worked at Intec College as a student consultant, at Amaza Development as a social facilitator, and completed an internship at SABC.  Before joining WESSA in April 2008 she worked at Ubuntu Environmental Foundation. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

WESSA EP REGIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Chairperson: Chris Jeffery
Vice Chairperson: Jenny Gon
Treasurer: Jeff Rowlands

Committee members:

Zimi Baleka
Declan Brennan
Mervyn Brouard
Irene de Moor
Lez Dor
Cheryl Lipman
Arthur Rump
Eckhart Schumann

WESSA EP REGIONAL BRANCHES

• Grahamstown Branch
• Nelson Mandela Bay Branch

WESSA EP SPONSORS