November 13, 1997
Conservation in South Africa has received what is probably the biggest
international boost ever with the approval of a grant totalling R59 million
(US$12,3 million) from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) to WWF
South Africa and the National Parks Board.
This breakthrough is the result of negotiations which WWF-SA initiated
nearly four years ago during its 25th Anniversary year. The R59 million
will be used for three major projects:
- R24 million ($5 million) will be deposited into The Table Mountain
Fund, established in 1993 by WWF-SA and officially launched in May that
year by Sir Edmund Hillary. This grant brings the total amount of the Fund
to R31 million.
- R30,24 million ($6,3 million) will be employed by the National Parks
Board as a contribution towards the start-up costs of the
soon-to-be-proclaimed national park on the Cape Peninsula. This funding
will be used over a six-year period.
- A further R4,8 million ($1 million) will be used for an in-depth
survey of the most pressing conservation issues elsewhere in the Cape
Floral Kingdom.
GEF's grant was approved at its latest board meeting on 4 November
1997 in Washington, D.C. This follows three visits to South Africa by GEF
fact-finding missions, hosted by the National Parks Board and WWF-SA.
According to WWF-SA's Chief Executive, Dr Ian Macdonald, clinching this
deal could be regarded as one of the most important milestones in
WWF-SA's 29-year history.
"When we celebrated our 25th Anniversary in 1993, WWF-SA had a
proven history of exemplary smaller projects. The question we asked
ourselves then was whether we could make a difference at a macro
level. After consultation, WWF was requested to try to do something
about the worsening plight of Table Mountain and the rest of the Cape
Peninsula - an area with more species, more endangered species, and
more recently extinct species than any area of comparable size
anywhere else on earth.
"Apart from the fact that this area is an international conservation
`hotspot', I believe the fact that WWF was able to raise R7 million locally
played a key role in convincing the GEF of our determination to preserve
this unique natural treasure. This also gives an indication of how
well-supported conservation is in South Africa, not only by private
individuals, but also by our corporate sector," said Dr Macdonald.
GEF was founded in co-operation with the World Bank, the United
Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) after the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 to
assist developing countries in protecting natural assets of international
importance.
The grant application was comprehensively workshopped with all the
relevant "interested and affected parties." In April 1996 it was approved
by Dr Pallo Jordan soon after he first took office as Minister of
Environmental Affairs and Tourism, and immediately submitted to the
World Bank for consideration by the GEF.
The proposal was finally shepherded through the GEF decision-making
process by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, the
official South African GEF liaison body. "What pleased us most, was that
there was not a single query regarding the proposal from the GEF
Council," said Acting Director General of the Department, Dr Francois
Hanekom.
Mr David Daitz of the National Parks Board, who was in Washington at
the time of the GEF Council meeting, said the GEF was impressed with
the quality of the proposal. "They said it was the best prepared
application they have ever received. I believe this was due to the fact
that it had been a collaborative effort between a wide range of
conservation partners."
During the GEF's fact-finding visits, all role-players were consulted,
including organisations such as the Peninsula Mountain Forum, the
Mountain Club of South Africa, the Department of Environmental Affairs
and Tourism, the Cape Metropolitan Council, Cape Nature Conservation,
the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa, the Botanical
Society, the Institute for Plant Conservation at the University of Cape
Town and the National Botanical Institute.
The Institute for Plant Conservation at the University of Cape Town
developed the GEF proposal for a strategic framework for conserving
the Cape Floral Kingdom. Prof Richard Cowling of the Institute said, "After
years of decline resulting from neglect and `ad hoc' conservation
planning, we at last have the opportunity to develop a logical and
coherent strategy for conserving the Cape Floral Kingdom and its
adjacent marine ecosystems."
"The cherry on the top will be if we now succeed in getting Table
Mountain declared a World Heritage Site. And this goal is within reach
after the government recently ratified the World Heritage Convention," Dr
Macdonald said.
For more information, contact:
Dr Ian Macdonald, Chief Executive of WWF-SA, tel 27218872801
and fax 27218879517.
Mr David Daitz, National Parks Board, Cape Town, tel
27217629620 and fax 27217629616.
Prof Brian Huntley, National Botanical Institute, Cape Town, tel
27217621166 and fax 27217614687.
Prof Richard Cowling, Institute for Plant Conservation, University
of Cape Town, tel 27216502440 and fax 27216504046.
Dr Francois Hanekom, Acting Director General of the Department
of Environmental Affairs and Tourism in Pretoria, tel. 27123103666 and
fax 27123204746.