LEGACIES FOR LIFE
There are times when words are simply not enough to express our gratitude, and this is how we feel about the generous bequests the EWT has received this year. Their generosity has enabled us to achieve significant milestones in species conservation and habitat protection. Fortunately, South Africa has many languages and different ways to express thanks.
Ngiyabonga, Enkosi, Ngiyabonga kakhulu, Dankie, Re a leboga,
Ke a leboha haholo, Ndo livhuwa, Ndza Nkhensa, Thank you
THE EWT FOREVER FOREST
All bequests made to the EWT create legacies for life that are immeasurable and remembered through the survival of our Endangered species and their wild spaces. However, as an organisation, we feel it is important to do more to celebrate the legacies bequeathed to us, and the contribution they make towards protecting forever, together. To this end, we have created a Forever Forest on our Conservation Campus in Midrand, in which we plant an indigenous Forever tree for each person who leaves a Legacy for Life, providing a living memorial that will be cared for and continue to grow for generations to come! Forever Forests are beautiful, tranquil places for friends and family to gather, pay tribute, heal, remember, and to celebrate all life.
If you yearn for a better future for your children, leave a Legacy for Life by remembering the EWT in your will, and help us to secure the health of our planet and its wildlife, beyond your lifetime. For more information, contact Tammyb@ewt.org.za
FOR PEAT’S SAKE – FINDING FODDER IN RWANDA’S RUGEZI MARSH
Lara Jordan, Drakensberg Coordinator, EWT’s African Crane Conservation Programme ACCP, laraj@ewt.org.za; Adalbert Aine-omucunguzi, East African Regional Manager, EWT’s (ACCP), AdalbertA@savingcranes.org; Daniel Munana, Rwanda Field Coordinator. danielm@savingcranes.org
One of the most densely settled countries in Africa is also home to some of the most impoverished communities, in which subsistence farming is how much of the human population survives. The Rwandan landscape is made of steep volcanic slopes, and where there once were forests, the slopes are now blanketed with terraced agricultural plots. The nutrient-rich soils that once fed the forest have become eroded, and the agricultural productivity for the families surviving on the denuded slopes is in decline. Rwanda is home to over 100 Endangered Grey Crowned Cranes, a species that has suffered a population decline of 80% across Africa in the last 40 years. Within these steep embankments is the 6,735-hectare Rugezi Marsh, which is the headwater to the White Nile, and this acidic peatland is one of the most important Grey Crowned Crane sites.
Rugezi Marsh is the source of the hydroelectric scheme into Lake Burera and supplies a third of the country’s electricity. The government of Rwanda, concerned about the increased usage of the irreplaceable peat landscape, declared the wetland Rwanda’s first Site of International Importance under the Ramsar convention. The Rwanda Environment Management Agency (REMA) removed all the inhabitants of the marsh and planted a 20 m buffer zone of trees extending around the wetland. Within this boundary, no agricultural activity is allowed. Rwanda has a zero-grazing policy around Rugezi Marsh, and yet almost every community household has a cow that needs fodder. This need impels community members to enter the marsh illegally to harvest fodder, resulting in the overharvesting of vegetation from the marsh and the disturbance of breeding Grey Crowned Cranes, thereby reducing nest survival. Erosion on the slopes also impacts negatively on the marsh and the catchment and reduces the ecosystems’ functioning and life-giving water supply.
In response to these problems, the ICF/EWT/Kitabi College partnership, in collaboration with the Burera District Authorities in 2018 started a project introducing Napier Grass as a means to support the feeding of the communities’ cattle and protect the steep agricultural slopes to reduce erosion. The authorities provided two areas as nurseries for the project, where the grass was grown to feed livestock. Napier grass was chosen because of its fast maturity rate, hence an ability to meet community fodder requirements in a short time. The Burera district’s department of Agronomy has worked closely with us over the last 18 months and bought into our strategy and vision once we had presented the communities with their new fodder. This month, we were invited to a celebration where the local Rwandan authorities thanked the International Crane Foundation/Endangered Wildlife Partnership, Daniel Munana, and our partners Richard Nasasisa at Integrated Polytechnic Regional College, Kitabi College; and Dr Olivier Nsengimana and his Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association for the dedicated effort to conserve the Rugezi Marsh Rwanda. The authorities acknowledged us as a great and dedicated partner who has made an incredible impact in the area by supporting 2,489 households to plant Napier Grass on their private land to feed their livestock, instead of harvesting vegetation from Rugezi Marsh. These households have also protected hillslopes from erosion hence conserving soil and water. There was also an improvement in their cattle’s milk production, leading to increased household income. It is now compulsory for every community farm to have Napier Grass planted on the terrace lines to provide livelihoods, fodder, and improve soil and water conservation. Because the authorities are enforcing it through key deliverables in their Key Performance Areas, we expect long-term sustainable benefits for the whole ecosystem and its crane and human inhabitants. In return for the Napier Grass provided to them, community groups committed to patrol Rugezi Marsh and report any illegal activities, including crane capture, to the government authorities. This commitment, coupled with patrols carried out by our partner, Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association, crane capture cases have reduced to zero, and Grey Crowned Crane numbers are on the rise. In the first year of monitoring, there was zero breeding success due to the illegal trade of the birds. This year, we have seen many pairs fledge chicks, demonstrating the importance of the outcomes of this project, particularly our successful collaboration with the communities. We want to thank our funders who have made it all possible: MacArthur Foundation for the earlier years, and more recently the CEPF and the Stiftung Feuchtgebiete (German Foundation for Wetlands).
FINDING FAIRIES WHERE BIOMES COLLIDE
Bonnie Schumann. Senior Field Officer, EWT’s Drylands Conservation Programme, bonnies@ewt.org.za
There is a pretty special place in the Klein Karoo where three biomes collide across a landscape of hidden valleys and impossibly rugged slopes. This “collision” of biomes, as renowned botanist Jan Vlok describes it, has resulted in a stunning array of biodiversity, ranging from fairy shrimps in shallow rock pools on remote mountain peaks to several undescribed plant species.
Previously valued purely for its livestock grazing attributes, Lettas Kraal has been quietly resting and recovering under Johan Roodt’s watchful eye for the last 25 years. Johan oversaw the final departure of the last of the goat and sheep herds that left their harsh mark on this unique and sensitive environment. Johan’s vision when he purchased Lettas Kraal was to dedicate the property to conserving the natural resources found here. The property is now being declared a Nature Reserve, which will secure Johan’s conservation vision for the property into perpetuity.
The Klein Karoo, hosting some 3,200 known plant species, is located in the Succulent Karoo, a plant biome recognised as an international biodiversity hotspot with over 6,300 plant species. Add a dash of Fynbos, and a touch of Subtropical Thicket to the Succulent Karoo and the species diversity explodes. This was confirmed by a recent five-day biodiversity survey, coordinated by the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and CapeNature, and supported by specialists and several volunteers.
Vlok put in a herculean effort, cataloguing an incredible 814 plant species in just under five days. These species occur in no less than nine vegetation units identified on the property. As expected, the winning family was the daisy family (Asteraceae) at 180 species. The most prominent genus is Crassula with a mindblowing 37 species! Astounding also are the 20 Pelargonium species and 18 Hermannia species. Vlok said afterwards, “No wonder my head was spinning at the end of the week! No ways that I could have hit more than 80% of the species, as I did not even cover 10% of the reserve’s area. This means that a true total count will be around 975 species. What can I say but ‘gee-whiz’, I would never have guessed that there would be that many – a total of about 10% of the species in the entire Cape Floristic Region. So who still says that arid areas are boring plant wise?” Besides the known species recorded so far, Vlok was last seen heading for the herbarium and his microscope, to identify several unknown plant treasures found on the property, some of which may turn out to be new species.
In addition to the focussed botanical assessment, specialists from the EWT, CapeNature and a group of volunteers went in search of all things great and small, including small mammals, reptiles, birds, bats, butterflies and moths. While the botanical component put on a spectacular show after the recent rainfall brought welcome relief from the unprecedented drought, surveys reflected that many of the other components still need time to recover. Guy Palmer, retired CapeNature Scientific Manager, Biodiversity (Scientific Services), couldn’t resist an invitation to participate in small mammal surveys. He and a team of two CapeNature faunal ecologists found very few signs of small mammals, although they did trap and release two common rodent species and one species of sengi (elephant shrew). Palmer says the lack of small mammal activity is indicative of the severity of the protracted drought. In addition to the focussed botanical assessment, specialists from the EWT, CapeNature and a group of volunteers went in search of all things great and small, including small mammals, reptiles, birds, bats, butterflies and moths. While the botanical component put on a spectacular show after the recent rainfall brought welcome relief from the unprecedented drought, surveys reflected that many of the other components still need time to recover. Guy Palmer, retired CapeNature Scientific Manager, Biodiversity (Scientific Services), couldn’t resist an invitation to participate in small mammal surveys. He and a team of two CapeNature faunal ecologists found very few signs of small mammals, although they did trap and release two common rodent species and one species of sengi (elephant shrew). Palmer says the lack of small mammal activity is indicative of the severity of the protracted drought.
The discovery of a treasure trove of small mammal bones in an old barn owl roost in the God’s Window cave suggested that small mammals were far more abundant in the past. Going hand in hand with this, and demonstrating the domino effect when food chains are disrupted, few observations of birds of prey were made. However, on a positive note, and reflecting the resilience of dryland species, most of the small mammals that were caught were females, and many of them appeared to be pregnant; a good sign of things to come.
The work didn’t stop at sunset. Andre Fourie (a volunteer) and Marienne de Villiers (CapeNature) spent many night hours eavesdropping on bat conversations. These little flying mammals use echolocation to navigate, locate prey, and communicate, and most of their calls are at frequencies too high for human ears to detect. However, they can be picked up by an ultrasonic bat recorder, and the sonograms that these machines produce, provide clues to species identities. At least three bat species were detected in this way, but a more in-depth analysis of the data is likely to add to the list. Most of the bat activity was around the Lettaskraal homestead, where there is a permanent water supply and an abundance of bugs attracted to lights. A bonus find was a horseshoe bat in a narrow crevice near the God’s Window cave.
JP le Roux (EWT), and Martine Jordaan (CapeNature), led the search for all things aquatic, documenting four frog species and aquatic invertebrates. A little bit of water goes a long way in the Karoo, and JP, acting on a rumour of water on Bloutoring, a remote mountain peak, led the strenuous climb up this mountain in search of this “puddle”. The climb was not in vain and resulted in the discovery of fairy shrimps (Class Branchiopoda) in a single shallow rock pool.
The birders were not to be outdone as Renier Balt (volunteer), Dominic Henry, and Ian Little (EWT) vied for top recorder, while Stefan Theron (Dept Agriculture: LandCare, Western Cape) multi-tasked to assess priorities for restoration while making sure he got some birding in. Altogether 97 bird species were recorded on the property over the five days. A further 53 species recorded in the immediate area, including migrating visitors, bring the bird list total to 150 species.
Although it was a bit early in the season, as temperatures were still relatively low, Chair of the Lepidopterist’s Society of Africa, Andrew Morton, assisted by his son Sasha, managed to record some insect activity as well. It will be particularly interesting to do more extensive surveys of insects and other invertebrates when temperatures are warmer, as the diversity of species may well be correlated to the incredible plant species diversity.
The CapeNature Anysberg Nature Reserve team dubbed the “Klipspringers” for its members’ agility and speed on the steep slopes, provided both (hu)manpower and expertise to the survey effort. Volunteers Renier and Millene Balt, Sven Wesemann, Lara Krassnokutski, and Carina Becker (Manager of the Rooiberg Breede River Conservancy), supported by the Leslie Hill Succulent Karoo Trust from WWF-SA, provided additional logistical support and bucket-loads of enthusiasm during the survey.
The outstanding biodiversity on Lettas Kraal not only reflects the incredible biological wealth of the Klein Karoo as a region but again reiterates just how unique virtually every square kilometre of the entire Succulent Karoo is – no two areas are the same. The Succulent Karoo is threatened by mining activities, overgrazing, and the illegal collection of, and trade in, succulent plants, leaving less than 30% of the hotspot pristine. We must look at ways to conserve as much of this unique biome as possible, given that so much of it has already been transformed and degraded.
Where agriculture is being practised, we must explore ways to implement more sustainable land management that integrates the conservation of the remaining biodiversity with the agricultural priorities. Partnerships between landowners, CapeNature and NGOs such as the EWT, present a win-win solution for effectively conserving the region’s biodiversity. Together we can ensure a bright future for Lettas Kraal as a hub of biodiversity. Anyone spending time here cannot but help become a champion for the conservation of the Succulent Karoo.
The Endangered Wildlife Trust, Drylands Conservation Programme’s work is made possible through support and partnerships with landowners. In addition, our broader work in the Drylands landscape forms part of the Global Environment Facility (GEF5) funded Sustainable Land Management Project at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE). Projects are also supported by Rand Merchant Bank.
For more information contact:
Bonnie Schumann
Endangered Wildlife Trust
Email: bonnies@ewt.org.za
Cell: 072 1224232
Marienne de Villiers
CapeNature
Email: mdevilliers@capenature.co.za
Cell: 082 729 3419
SELFIE AND SCARPER: THE OVER-TOURISM DILEMMA
Phoebe Mottram, Founder of Thatch and Earth, info@thatchandearth.com Anyone who has visited a popular protected area in South Africa will have seen it – masses of vehicles packed with passengers ogling a particular species. These species fall into the ‘charismatic’ category and are usually big and pretty unique (sorry Impalas). Their popularity is understandable, some of these species are truly awe-inspiring, but clever marketing has encouraged guests to start visiting protected areas with species-specific tick lists, which isn’t entirely negative. Quite frankly, the popularity of charismatic species has sustained many of South Africa’s protected areas for decades. However, in recent years this has led to something close to species-specific over-tourism.
Academic literature refers to over-tourism as the congestion of tourists causing conflict with local communities. The congestion is clear; in these scenarios, poor sighting etiquette is unfortunately quite common. But what about the conflict? Many seasoned bush people will have stories of stress responses from animals. A 2018 paper by Broekhuis found that, in the Masai Mara, “female cheetahs that were exposed to high tourist abundance raised 0.210.72 cubs to independence compared to 2.320.11 cubs in low tourism areas”. Lower recruitment levels over consecutive years could quite easily drive a species towards extinction. If this trend were to repeat in protected areas across South Africa this would be extremely concerning, especially considering that many charismatic species are rare to begin with.
So, what do we do about this? We wouldn’t want to stop tourism entirely. 2020 has proven that. The loss of tourism revenue this year has had devastating impacts on livelihoods. Some would recommend that we limit tourism through the low impact, high-value model. While this has seen success, it still has flaws, the major one being that it prices the vast majority of potential customers out of the market. In the long run, this may prevent the development of conservation-conscious behaviour changes that commonly arise from experiences with wildlife. Ideally, we would spread the tourism income equitably across protected areas, and thus limit the potential for over-tourism. However, there will always be areas which are considered ‘must-visits’.
It appears then that the solution lies in widening the marketing focus from single species to entire ecosystems. Guests should be encouraged to learn about the species diversity of the protected area they’re visiting before travelling, and to use professionally trained guides when they arrive. Guides can start to place wildlife encounters in the broader ecosystem context, using this to engage with guests about their place within, and their impact on, their environment. By ensuring that all guides, from the local to the national level, meet a high standard of scientific education and ethics, we can empower them to teach specific and important lessons, such as the value of ecosystem services. This changed approach may reduce the culture of guests tipping for sightings, encouraging them to tip in recognition of the skills and knowledge of their guide instead. This, in turn, will positively reinforce ethical practices.
Guests will always be excited to see charismatic species, as much as I will. If I’m looking at a tree and a Leopard walks by, you can be sure I’m always looking at the Leopard. But by empowering guides with more substantial scientific knowledge, and encouraging guests to search for lesser-known species, we can limit the effects of localised over-tourism. We can create generations of conservationists who appreciate the dung beetle in the elephant dung just as much as the elephant itself.
Reference: Broekhuis, F. 2018. Natural and anthropogenic drivers of cub recruitment in a large carnivore. Ecology and Evolution. 8. 6748-6755.
