SUBJECT: GEF funds for South African wilderness area

bioplan
"David Duthie" <David.Duthie@unep.org>
 

World Wilderness Congress Opens with Conservation Grants

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa, November 2, 2001 (ENS) - One of the largest
wilderness areas in South Africa will benefit from $US1 million in
conservation funding, delegates to the 7th World Wilderness Congress in
Port Elizabeth heard today.

Dr. Walter Lusigi of the World Bank's Global Environment Facility (GEF)
announced the grant to conserve the Baviaanskloof area on the opening day
of the week long gathering.

The Baviaanskloof is a wilderness area situated on the eastern border of
the Cape Floral Kingdom, some two and a half hour's drive from Port
Elizabeth. In announcing the grant, Dr. Lusigi called the area one of
"notable biological diversity and historical importance."

"It has over thousands of years sheltered the San people, and today
provides ecological services to major industrial areas of the Eastern Cape.
Moreover it is the site of wilderness experience programs operated by the
Wilderness Foundation and the Wilderness Leadership School, both for poor
urban youth, as well as for members of the Environmental Portfolio
Committee of the South African Parliament," he said.

The grant was awarded in addition to $15.93 million in GEF grants already
announced to support nine projects in South Africa including conservation
of the Drakensburg Mountains, the Cape Floral Kingdom, Addo Elephant
reserve and the Agulhas Conservation area.

One of the attractions of the Baviaanskloof area is its exceptionally high
landscape diversity, according to Ross Zietsman of the Friends of the
Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area, a group associated with the Wilderness
Foundation of South Africa.

The geology displays huge sandstone cliffs with bedding planes and massive
folding. This diversity supports a large variety of plants, including over
1,100 species in 12 vegetation types.

Visitors will see animals of all kinds including kudu, bushbuck, eland,
klipspringer, monkeys and baboons. Over 300 species of birds have been
recorded, including large raptors such as the black eagle.

Dr. Lusigi also announced a US$1 million grant to Angola for animal
repopulation of the war torn country. "The GEF is moving to assist current
conservation efforts to rehabilitate the Angolan parks through sharing of
animal populations in South Africa and Angola. The GEF will support a $1
million effort being undertaken jointly by the Government of Angola, UNDP
and the Kissama Foundation," he said.

GEF's executive director, Mohamed El-Ashry, was not present, but Dr. Lusigi
read a message from him that recalled how the GEF itself owes its origins
to the 4th World Wilderness Congress, which was held in Colorado in 1987.

"It grew out of the wisdom and concern of a few visionary and selfless
individuals - notably environmental thinkers, businessmen and economists,"
El-Ashry's said in his statement. "Over the last 10 years, the GEF has
grown to be the principal partner of countries in taking real action to
achieve sustainable development, mainly by aligning its portfolio with
national biodiversity programs and country priorities."

Dr. Lusigi said the 7th World Wilderness Congress should "be seen in terms
of Africa's contribution to the global conservation movement."

The African continent, although currently confronted by various
socio-economic challenges, he said, has the potential to contribute to the
global conservation movement through its people and through the broad range
of rich cultural and natural landscapes.

Africa is currently a recipient of $350 million in GEF grants in support of
conservation, second only to Latin America.in this respect.

Since its establishment in 1991, the GEF has allocated more than US$1.3
billion to 446 biodiversity conservation and sustainable use projects in
123 developing countries - the single largest funding worldwide.

These projects have leveraged an additional $1.5 billion in government
counterpart commitments and another $1.1 billion in co-financing from
bilateral and multilateral agencies and the private sector.

David Duthie
E-mail: david.duthie@unep.org

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