Coast KZN

State of the Coast: KZN
State of the Coast: KZN

State of the Coast: KwaZulu-Natal Chapter 1: Introduction & Background Chapter 2: Overarching Drivers Chapter 3: Climate Variability
Chapter 4: Coastal Environment Chapter 5: Estuarine Environment Chapter 6: Marine Environment Chapter 7: Human Environment Chapter 8: Economic Environment
Chapter 9: Governance Environment Chapter 10: Conclusions
The Profile of the KZN Coast
The Profile of the KZN Coast

Ugu Lwethu- Our Coast Defining the Coastal Zone The Physical and Coastal Environment Coastal and Marine Ecosystems
Coastal and Marine Species Migrations The Human Dimension Socio-Economic Uses of the Coast Commercial Resource Uses
Pressures and Threats Management of the Coastal and Marine Environments Understanding our Coast
Coastal access
Coastal access

Access RoutesBoat Launch SitesThe Human DimensionCoastal Access: Stats & Facts
Estuaries
Estuaries

What is an Estuary? Know your Estuaries Estuary Health and Conservation KZN Estuary Observer Programme
Historical Time Series Estuary Mouth Status Sand Mining
Recreation
Recreation

Fish TaggingAccess RoutesBlue Flag Beaches
Coastal risk and vulnerability
Coastal risk and vulnerability

Coastal Risk LinesExtreme EventsCoastal ErosionKZN Coastal Vulnerability IndexPollution
Coastal issues
Coastal issues

PollutionSand MiningCoastal ErosionNurdlesUPL Chemical Spill
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24 Oct 2017

Urgent need for new conservation approach in KZN

Judi Davis (South Coast Herald) Picture: Conservationists are concerned about the fact that natural habitat is disappearing from all areas in KwaZulu-Natal outside protected places like Umbumbazi Nature Reserve.

“Anyone concerned about the future of natural habitat in this province is invited to a talk by Ezemvelo’s Jenny Longmore. “

IF current rates of transformation of natural habitat are sustained in Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu-Natal and North West Province, there will be almost no natural habitat left outside protected areas by 2050.

This is according to the National Biodiversity Assessment 2011 Synthesis Report. It further predicts that KwaZulu-Natal will reach the Persistence Threshold (70 to 80 percent habitat loss) by 2035, should the protected area network not be dramatically increased or effective incentives put in place for both private and communal land owners to conserve biodiversity, species and habitat.

If you are concerned about this you will be interesting to known that Jenny Longmore, the principal conservation planner in Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife’s Biodiversity Planning Division, will be addressing this issue at a talk at Durban’s Durban Botanic Gardens Visitors Centre on Monday, October 30 at 12.45pm for 1pm.

Her talk will be on ‘Conservation Challenges in KwaZulu-Natal’ outlining the need for an urgent paradigm shift for conducting conservation business.

According to Jenny, despite the excellent environmental laws in South Africa and the legal processes and mechanisms in place to protect biodiversity, the conservation sector as a whole was failing. Her talk will introduce some of the conservation challenges being experienced in KwaZulu-Natal. Case studies will be used to explain the complexity of the space in which conservationists find themselves today. The talk will also serve to stress the critical need and urgency for a paradigm shift to safeguard critical biodiversity for future generations in a capitalist economy.

Jenny, who graduated from the University of Natal in 2002 with a Masters in Science, has held her current position with Ezemvelo for the last or 14 years. During this time she she has been involved in reviewing and providing Ezemvelo’s official comment on numerous high profile and complex development applications in KwaZulu-Natal.

Everyone interested is welcome to attend the talk. Entrance is R30 for members, R40 for non-members, R20 for students and the fee included tea or coffee on arrival.

Please pay at the door. There is no need to book and proceeds will go to the Botanical Society branch funds.

 

Online Article