Care For Nature

Biodiversity compliance South Africa is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world. Biodiversity refers to the variety of life around us, from a Southern Right Whale to a tiny wildflower. South Africa has about 240 species of mammals, more than 700 species of birds, almost 500 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 630 species of butterflies. Biodiversity is crucial to our survival. It provides us with clean air, food, economic opportunities, medicine, soil for agriculture and recreational enjoyment. It is the biological and social capital that supports the entire human race. But human activity continues to threaten the earth’s inter-dependent ecosystems. The Western Cape's biodiversity is in a constant state of flux as it responds to natural forces and human activity. Our vast natural resources are threatened by population growth, climate change, pollution, escalating development, the illegal trade of plants and animals, and the invasion of introduced species. We ensure that local communities work with us to conserve biodiversity by providing the public with legal advice and support; administering licences, leases and permits; contributing to environmental policies and laws; and investigating biodiversity crimes in partnership with the South African Police Service. Integrated catchment management CapeNature plays a crucial role in ensuring the Western Cape has a sustainable supply of clean, fresh and potable water to support our population and a growing economy. Mountain catchments refer to areas where water is naturally collected and channelled to rivers. We use an integrated approach in our management of the Western Cape’s catchment areas, which “catch” rainfall runoff. The catchments areas we manage provide up to 60% of the potable water used in the province. Integrated catchment management is holistic, focusing on both water and land management, as the two are inextricably connected. A change to the broader environment may have a profound effect on a water cycle. CapeNature efficiently manages natural water resources to ensure a sustainable water supply for communities, balancing the need to protect this precious resource with the needs of industry and agriculture. As part of catchment management, we work to control fires and invasive alien species to protect the ecosystems surrounding catchment areas, while guiding land-use planning and development. Integrated catchment management allows CapeNature to establish and strengthen partnerships with municipalities, fire associations and non-government organisations and public-sector programmes. Landscape scale conservation CapeNature works in partnership with private landowners, communities, agricultural businesses, governmental and non-governmental organisations to secure biodiversity in the face of climate change. We use corridors, biodiversity hotspots and world heritage sites to support our landscape scale conservation activities. We take a broad approach to conservation, aiming to understand the entire landscape, rather than small sites that need to be conserved. This kind of conservation focuses on creating an ecological network of land, because conservation sites do not exist in isolation. They are interconnected and affected by local economies, agriculture, climate change, wildlife, cultural heritage and ecotourism. Socioeconomic development/biodiversity awareness We cannot conserve the Western Cape’s natural resources without help from the communities who benefit from these resources every day. Sustainable biodiversity conservation is inextricably linked with socioeconomic development and tourism. CapeNature’s programmes aim to raise awareness and educate the public about the importance of biodiversity, and the socioeconomic opportunities that come with it. We are committed to sustainable job creation and social responsibility. We create opportunities for local communities to develop life skills, biodiversity awareness and accredited training within the conservation field. It is also vitally important that young people in the Western Cape actively participate in conservation. CapeNature’s Youth Development Programme aims to help the youth of today appreciate and respect biodiversity and social conservation, empowering our leaders of tomorrow with the knowledge and skills to continue our conservation legacy.