Nelson Mandela Bay’s green lung has immediate and long-term benefits

Nelson Mandela Bay’s green lung could be used to generate economic, social and environmental benefits which will help counter the poaching that was gutting this prime asset, Wilderness Foundation Africa CEO Andrew Muir said on Sunday.

Muir said taxi hunting and poaching for profit had to be separated from subsistence poaching, but the upswing in this last activity did not surprise him as people were struggling to survive during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Short-term benefits could come, for example, in the form of food gardens, special access to nature reserves to gather building materials and large-scale employment through projects to remove alien vegetation which drained water resources and triggered fires, he said.

“The more protected areas are used by law-abiding citizens, the better.

“In Driftsands, for example, the removal of alien trees could be linked to the creation of walking trails and the appointment of community guides.

“The opportunities abound.

“Furthermore, in line with the international call by the Campaign for Nature last week for 30% of the planet to be protected in order to galvanise the economy, this short-term job creation and outreach support could be used to prepare for long-term benefits via countless ‘ecosystem services’.”

The free benefits of these services, which would otherwise require huge expenditure from the state, included provision of food and clean air and water, and control of erosion, flooding, drought, disease and climate as well as recreational and spiritual benefits, he said.

Kevin Taylor, manager of Hopewell Conservation Estate on the western rim of the Bay, said though poachers had not been caught in the reserve, he and his team were feeling the impact.

“We have to spend a large portion of our budget securing the property from the threat of poaching in the area, so it makes it very tough economically.

“With the lockdown and no tourist income things have been even more difficult, so we hope to get that side of things up and running again as soon as possible.”

Zwartkops Conservancy spokesperson Jenny Rump said most of the snaring in the Aloes Nature Reserve was usually done in the veld between the reserve and Wells Estate.

The conservancy had for many years organised groups which removed these, but now this activity was at a standstill, she said.

“You need to go in groups to ensure security, but we have not been able to do that for a while because of the Covid-19 lockdown regulations.”

Wildline’s Arnold Slabbert said he had witnessed a steep decline in wildlife species and numbers in the Baakens Valley over the past decade.

“In my view it has been a total dereliction of the metro’s duty of care.

“Lockdown just made that lack of control worse.

“There’s a definite decline in wildlife species and numbers.”

Sardinia Bay Conservancy resident and animal activist Marizaan Ferreira said even with many other issues to worry about, ordinary people should actively oppose poaching.

“If we can care about an innocent animal we can grow a culture of caring for all life.”

Metro environmental law compliance officer Ken Pressley said every member of his team was passionate about what they did.

“But we need increased capacity, improved equipment and tougher sentences from the courts.

“We need also need support from ward councillors who know very well who their residents are who own hunting dogs.

“They need to talk to these guys about the bylaws and point out where they conflict with traditional practice.

“We need to sort this thing out.”