ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION STRATEGY FOR THE GREAT SOUTH

Many ecological restoration operations have been carried out in damaged areas by various stakeholders at the Great South as elsewhere in the province to reduce harmful effects on the public and property, as well as to biodiversity. The many stakeholders and funding sources however result in piecemeal efforts that are less than ideal when resources are scarce. The provincial executive sought to develop and implement a multi-stakeholder strategy aimed at maximising such restoration work in the short, medium and long terms. This is another major plank of the RAMSAR-area integrated management plan.

The Southern Province requested that RESCCUE assist in prioritising sites requiring restoration in terms of local issues, erosion and the need to preserve and reconnect the Great South’s ecosystems. A strategic document was developed under the guidance of a technical steering committee and with the involvement of a broad range of stakeholders. It maps priority areas in terms of erosion and habitat fragmentation and is a genuine blueprint for restoring damaged sites in the Great South. Once ownership of this strategic document has been fully taken, it could be extended throughout the province.