Ingrid du Plessis

Programme for the day is now available. Note Bookings close on Tuesday 4 June 2024

The most important message that came from the day is that conservation on this scale is a collective effort that isn’t possible without 100% buy in from landowners, collaboration with other conservation organizations, municipalities such as the OBM, and dedicated contracting teams that prosper from doing the work on the ground.
”Collaboration – the ultimate intertwining of skills, passions, and knowledge- is what concocts the most shatterproof forms of changemaking” – Ian Somerhalder

The Western Cape region faced quite a year in 2023, with extreme weather events leaving a lasting impact. Among the areas hit was the Botriver region in the Overberg. The river’s relentless force eroded its banks, wreaking havoc on infrastructure, croplands, riverbanks and triggering landslides along the hillsides. These natural events pose significant challenges for local communities, leaving landowners grappling with the aftermath and seeking assistance.

Conservation at Work in collaboration with CapeNature, Jobs 4 Carbon, Table Mountain Fund, Western Cape Department of Agriculture, Landcare, Rooiberg Breede River Conservancy, and VanWyksdorp Development Institute (VDI) hosted a successful Landowners Day investigating the practical implementation of erosion control measures in the field. The Jobs 4 Carbon project launched in 2014 and has a remarkable impact on the lives of the local community creating 60 jobs while restoring degraded veld in the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve by planting spekboom, clearing alien invasive species and preventing soil erosion through ponding. A total of 312702 spekboom plants were planted between 2018-2023 as part of the restoration of degraded spekboom thicket.

The first Landsowners day of 2023 was held at Bartholomeus Klip, the venue is situated on the edge of a dam and looking up through the Elandsberg Nature Reserve. This could not have been a more spectacular location to house the event. Seven Conservancies was able to attend the day that consisted of presentations from organisations in the morning followed by an afternoon spent in the field