Warm Regards
The K2C Team
Towards a Community of Practise (COP) for Community Liaison Officers (CLO)
~Marie-Tinka Uys and Vusi Tshabalala
The ethos of Biodiversity Conservation is moving from “Fortress” Conservation to more inclusive operations where embeddedness in a landscape is recognised and written into Protected Area (P.A.) Management Plans and in Conservation Agency and Non-Governmental Organisations’ Strategic Plans. In this, relationships with neighbouring indigenous communities on tribal land is important.
To achieve these relationships, Community Liaison Officers (CLOs) are appointed as part of the P.A. Management and Conservation Agency and Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) staff. CLO is the common term used for people that are employed to liaise with communities on behalf of an organisation or an industry.
The Greater Kruger Landscape has several P.A.s, Government Agencies and NGO’s operating in the Biodiversity Conservation Socio Economic domain, that work with, and build constituency with indigenous communities in their spatial spheres of influence, where CLOs are employed to manage the work and relationships with neighbouring and targeted communities.
An in-depth Training Needs Analysis, funded by WWF-Kheta, was done with CLOs and Conservation Actors in 2022 in the Greater Kruger Region. This resulted in offering a Community Liaison Officers Course for 27 practising CLOs in 2023/24 (also funded by WWF-Kheta).
The Course is implemented by the following Learning Partners: Reallifelearning, Skukuza Science Leadership Initiative (SSLI), the Southern African Wildlife College (SAWC), the University of Witwatersrand (WITS) and the Kruger2Canyons Biosphere (K2C BR).
The participants’ learning journey were guided by a series of transformational questions. These are:
- What is happening: Participants explored issues and concerns and choose one or two of these issues as a focus for their case story or portfolio of evidence (or “Change Project”). Learning partners share conceptual tools with participants to help them to understand their issues and concerns within broader social ecological systems.
- How has this come to be: Participants considered the historical and contextual reasons for their issues and concerns. Learning partners shared methods and tools to do this work.
- What does this mean: Participants developed explanations for why change is needed and considered what change is possible. Learning partners shared knowledge and tools that could be used to develop these explanations.
- How do we transform: Participants investigated what change is possible and how. Learning partners worked with them to consider what change is possible.
- What have we learnt: Participants are currently developing a knowledge product to share in their community of practice that documents your learning and your knowledge.
The Course thus made provision for each participant to conceptualise and develop a Change Project. For this, extra support has been offered through mentorship and the offer to develop a knowledge product that will be shared with all at the October KHETA Conference.
SAWC and K2C BR developed with the CLO course participants a Strategy for their COP. The Participants chose to operationalise their COP’s in 3x clusters: K2C BR, Vhembe BR and KwaZulu Natal and to be inclusive of organisations in their landscapes that are not currently represented in the course.
The Strategy can be summarised with the following infographic:
The K2C BR is proud to support the 3x COPs!
CLO Course Participants
FUNDERS AND PARTNERS: WWF-KHETHA; Reallifelearning, University of Witwatersrand, Southern African Wildlife College, Skukuza Science and Leadership Initiative.
Positive progress on the AFR 100 restoration project
~Dimakatso Nonyane, Restoration Project Manager
We are excited to share the latest developments and progress of our AFR 100 Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANR) project, which kick-started in August 2022. Since the employment of 75 SEF team members in August 2023, we have witnessed a significant impact on the hectare targets achieved and toward restoring our precious ecosystems, promoting biodiversity, and supporting sustainable livelihoods.
Over the past six months, our efforts have led to a substantial increase in vegetative cover across the demarcated areas. We have successfully facilitated the natural regeneration of over 458 hectares of land previously dominated by alien invasive species. This achievement is a testament to the dedication of our team and the invaluable leadership from our supervisors.
Areas previously dominated by alien invasive trees
Our monitoring activities have revealed a promising increase in biodiversity, observed by the AFR 100 supervisor with the assistance of citizen science monitors in early 2023, although initially not backed by a formal assessment. In June 2024, we acquired the services of external consultants to conduct a baseline assessment and determine if we will reach our target of 360,000 indigenous trees by the end of the project.
The results have confirmed that we are indeed making positive progress, as several indigenous plant species previously considered at risk are now thriving. We have recorded over 200,000 indigenous tree/shrub saplings. The area is now more appealing for tourism, and the biodiversity is blossoming, highlighting the positive impact of our project on the environment.
Monitoring the natural regeneration of indigenous vegetation after alien invasive clearing
We eagerly anticipate SAEON retrieving the stream flow monitoring data that will demonstrate the impact alien invasive plants have on water quantity. These results will be shared with the communities, as their involvement remains at the heart of the AFR 100 project.
FUNDERS/PARTNERS: AFR 100; One-tree planted; CSA; SEF; Y4Y
Collaborative Governance Towards Disposable Diaper Waste
~Lethabo Rasakanya, Pro Nature Livelihoods Coordinator
In an exciting collaboration between the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region (K2C BR) and the University of Western Cape (UWC), supported by LEDET and funded by the CSIR, the Absorbent Hygiene Product (AHP) project is driving positive change in the three pilot communities: Enable, Phiring, and Malaeneng, by addressing the pressing issue of disposable diaper waste. The project tackles indiscriminate diaper disposal in the K2C landscape by promoting community-driven, bottom-up solutions. Through a co-creation and collaborative governance model, aimed to develop innovative interventions at the village level to address diaper waste.
The objectives of the project are to:
- Determine what a co-created disposable diaper waste governance model looks like.
- Explore how co-creation can be used to address indiscriminate dumping of disposable diapers in the study areas.
- Develop alternative options to dumping disposable diapers through a collaborative process.
Through multiple community consultations, the communities have taken ownership of finding solutions to the diaper problem. The three community-selected solutions include a diaper disposal system, a small-scale incinerator, and modern cloth diapers. These communities and their stakeholders have elected committees to represent them, holding bi-weekly meetings and workshops with K2C.
Community consultations are key
The initial governance workshops focused on the project framework, adapting co-creation frameworks from academic literature to suit the project’s needs. The framework consists of four phases: Initiation, Design, Implementation, and Monitoring. These phases are all embedded in principles of leadership and accountability, addressing power imbalances, and building leadership capacity. The committees also conducted a visioning exercise, outlining their goals for diaper disposal by the end of next year and discussing their rules of engagement. Subsequent consultations aimed at strengthening governance by clarifying committee members’ roles and responsibilities, leadership ethics, and implementing selected solutions in the communities. The local traditional authorities and ward councillors participated in these engagements.
Community engagement in Phiring village
The project also involves collaboration and engagements with an advisory board from local municipalities (Maruleng and Feta-Kgomo Tubatse municipalities), district municipalities (Mopani and Sekhukhune districts), and the provincial department LEDET, for their support and input to be consolidated in the AHP project. The project is progressing well, uncovering valuable insights into collaborative governance. By engaging communities in decision-making, we foster commitment and ownership. This, in turn, drives more sustainable practices, promoting a shared vision of inclusivity and resilience in communities.
FUNDERS/PARTNERS: K2C, University of Western Cape, CSIR, 3 Communities (Enable, Phiring, and Malaeneng), Maruleng & Feta-Kgomo Tubatse local municipalities, Mopani & Sekhukhune district municipalities and The Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET).
Exceptional CAPEX Management: A Model for Good Governance and Climate Resilience
~ Dumisa Khoza, Site coordinator, Dinkwanyane Water Smart project.
The successful exit of the Flanders Dinkwanyane Water Smart Project marked a significant milestone for E-SCG, demonstrating its exemplary CAPEX management through an innovative Conservation Agreement model. This pioneering approach empowered the Mahohlo Savings Group members to take ownership of CAPEX administration, fostering a culture of good governance, transparency, and climate change resilience.
Through targeted training and capacity building, the project enabled the savings group to self-administer CAPEX, allowing them to procure essential farming inputs for two members. This strategic support promoted climate adaptation and resilience, ensuring that vulnerable members could withstand the challenges of climate change. In return, these members agreed to a conservation agreement, committing to implement sustainable practices and repay the CAPEX to the group.
Community members using the savings groups to support their businesses.
This revolving fund model creates a sustainable cycle of support, enabling other members to access the funds and benefit from climate-resilient practices. E-SCG’s CAPEX management framework has proven to be a beacon of good governance, demonstrating the organization’s dedication to responsible stewardship and sustainable growth.
By empowering local communities to take ownership of CAPEX administration, E-SCG has created a replicable model for climate resilience and adaptation, ensuring a brighter future for generations to come.
FUNDERS/PARTNERS: Conservation South Africa, Hoedspruit Hub, Flanders,
Locals dominate at K2C Challenge 2024!
The 9th running of the Kruger2Canyon Challenge on 6 & 7 July 2024 saw locals show their class and partnerships taking K2C to the next level! Hosted by Lauren and Andrew Booth at Laerskool Mariepskop in Kampersrus, the event provides a platform for trail runners to challenge themselves while exploring Mariepskop Mountain (the most northern tip of the Drakensberg) and the Lowveld wilderness on foot.
Hosted in partnership with us at the K2C BR as their conservation partner, the event raises funds for the meaningful conservation work we undertake in the landscape.
With four distances available over the 2 days of running, participants either take on the 70 km, 44 km, 30 km or 20 km stage race over the 2 days. A field of 241 participants gathered from all over South Africa, as well as Canada, and Switzerland, to take on what is known to be one of the toughest trail stage races in the country.
While the focus of this event is primarily on the experience out on the trail and enjoying the diverse landscapes, the racing at the sharp end of the field is always incredibly fierce at the Kruger2Canyon Challenge. The men’s 70 km Stage race winner hailing from Acornhoek, Tshepo Pebane showed his class and the rest of the field a clean pair of heels, winning in 7:29:14 ahead of Jason Peckham in 2nd (7:37:04) and Chris Louw in 3rd (7:49:04). In the woman’s 70 km event, local Kampersrus resident & physiotherapist Karine Bezuidenhout showed the benefit of her weekly training on the mountain, taking her fourth win at K2C and 4th overall in 8:05:48.
Hoedspruit residents, Francois Steyn & Nicole Fiolet took the top spots in the 44km Stage Race, while Kayla Wheeldon won the 30km women’s stage race and Steyn’s brother Villiers was the 3rd man home. The newly introduced 20km stage race saw a clean sweep by the women, taking the top three positions overall – Joané Pienaar 1st, her mother Rina de Klerk 2nd and Mareli Janse Van Rensburg finished 3rd. Pienaar & Janse van Rensburg are both teachers at Laerskool Mariepskop, emphasising the benefit of local knowledge!
Runners making their way through the beautiful forests on Mariepskop
For full results, click HERE.
On Friday evening, participants and spectators were treated to a demonstration by Colbec K9 on their work with K9 tracking dogs and their use in detection, tracking and detaining suspects. Colin & Tristan Patrick not only demonstrated the abilities of their K9s, but that they are fiercely determined athletes themselves, completing the 30km Stage race, with K9 Koda and K9 Tora alongside them every step of the way!
Saturday saw the Hoedspruit Reptile Centre captivate the audience with their snake demonstration. Very active in the conservation of reptiles in the Lowveld, they uphold their ethos of conservation through education and research, and are on most local residents’ speed-dial for their service of removing / rescuing reptiles in “undesirable” locations. They demonstrated how the feared snakes (venomous and non-venomous) avoid humans whenever possible and taught us so much!
“While it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a community to pull off an event like this” said Lauren Booth “Without the support from crew, safety teams, and partners and sponsors, the event wouldn’t’ have been the success that it was. We are so grateful for the opportunity to work alongside them and to showcase the amazing work being done by the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere organisation.”
The event was supported by partners PURA Beverages who supplied their new electrolyte beverage, PUA Hydration to keep runners well hydrated throughout the event. Between them and the amazing services from AM Spa, who provided massage services throughout the event, there was no cramping on the finish line at K2C 2024!! Hoedspruit FM were the event Media partners, essentially our “voice” into the community and beyond – tune into them Live, and listen out for Lauren’s final interview with Greg Smith coming up soon – where they dissect what when down at K2C 2024!
The GoFund is a Go!
~Nick Theron, Senior Project Manager
In 2020, K2C, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and Conservation South Africa (CSA) collaborated with the Nature for Water (N4W) Facility to explore the potential for developing a Kruger to Canyons Catchment Investment Programme focused on the Blyde Catchment. Three key nature-based solutions were identified: alien plant clearing, improved grazing management, and increasing land under protection. These solutions aim to enhance water security, protect biodiversity, and support people’s livelihoods.
The Business Case, finalized in April 2023, showed that over a 30-year period, a lifetime investment of R254 million ($14.5 million) unlocks benefits worth R657 million ($37.7 million).
This was a landmark milestone that scientifically shows how our work in the catchment not only benefits nature but also people and the local economy. However, a lot of work still needs to be done to demonstrate the ability to implement nature-based solutions at scale and unlock long-term sustainable funding mechanisms. By scaling, we need to move from managing 2-3 alien clearing teams to managing 30, with the associated need to exponentially increase funding to achieve a tangible impact.
We are excited to continue our relationship with the N4W Facility through the inception of the GoFund. The GoFund has been established by the N4W Facility to provide technical assistance and implementation funding to bridge the gap in moving from a defensible business case for catchment investment to establishing the systems and processes to scale up effectively. Over the next few years, we aim to practically demonstrate these benefits while continuing to work together with our important partners.
Blyde Dam in the K2C
FUNDERS/PARTNERS: The Nature Conservancy and N4W Facility
Restoring the Upper Letaba Catchment
~ Johan Coetzer, Upper Letaba Project Manager
The Upper Letaba Catchment is a vital watershed supplying water to Polokwane, Tzaneen, the Letaba River, and users extending through Kruger into Mozambique. Its health and sustainability is very important. Through a project funded by Coca-Cola, Kruger 2 Canyons (K2C), in partnership with The Nature Conservancy (TNC), is dedicated to restoring the Upper Catchment by removing invasive alien plants (IAPs).
Example of a site before alien invasive clearing took place
The same site after clearing has occurred.
To date, we have cleared over 200 hectares of invasive species, thereby improving water quality and quantity in the watershed. Our current efforts aim to connect the fragmented Woodbush Granite Grassland (WGG) ecosystems.
The Woodbush Granite Grassland, one of South Africa’s 72 nationally recognised vegetation types, is critically endangered. Located in Limpopo Province on the Woodbush plateau at altitudes of 1080-1800 meters above sea level, only about ten relatively undisturbed WGG fragments remain. The largest fragment, approximately 190 hectares, is next to Haenertsburg and is protected within the Haenertsburg Nature Reserve.
Despite some protection, the WGG vegetation unit has been severely transformed by overgrazing and invasive alien vegetation. The WGG and local indigenous forests are important water production landscapes, acting as natural sponges that release water into streams and rivers feeding into the Ebenezer Dam. This dam is a key water source for Haenertsburg, Polokwane, and rural villages in Mankweng, and supplies water to the Lowveld’s agricultural sector via the Tzaneen Dam.
In 2006, the WGG was identified as the most threatened vegetation unit in Limpopo. Today, only about 6% of its original area remains untransformed. Officially declared a critically endangered ecosystem in 2011, the establishment of the Haenertsburg Nature Reserve in 2016 has been a significant milestone in protecting one of the largest intact remnants of this vegetation type.
View over the Upper Letaba Catchment
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to TNC, Coca-Cola, Friends of the Haenertsburg Grasslands (FroHG), Mountain Environmental Watch, and the involved landowners for their invaluable support. Together, we are making strides toward a healthier and more sustainable Upper Letaba Catchment.
PARTNERS/FUNDERS: Coca-Cola & The Nature Conservancy, FroHG, MEW and landowers
Unseen Environmental Heroes: The London Landfill Waste Reclaimers
~Angi Ellett
Lying in the shadow of a busy Hoedspruit conservation landscape is a group of people who are all too often overlooked but are nonetheless quietly making their mark—London Landfill Waste Reclaimers. The group, organized under the Gadifeli Trust, comprises waste reclaimers from nearby villages such as Worcester, Bismark, and Molalane. Their work is both essential and inspiring.
While the town of Hoedspruit is known for its dedication to environmental protection, few are aware of the crucial role these reclaimers play in managing waste and promoting recycling. Many of these individuals have turned to waste reclaiming as a means of survival, driven by limited access to education, job retrenchment, or unemployment. Despite facing societal stigma and often being overlooked, their work significantly reduces landfill waste, contributing to a cleaner and greener environment.
Waste reclaimers at London Landfill
Capex money received from the TASC Foundation is the recent huge opening for the reclaimers to expand their operations. This money will be going towards buying necessary equipment to establish a waste beneficiation center, where they will be able to take their efforts further by baling recyclables on-site. This earns value for the materials they collect and also further helps to add new revenue lines for them, by selling directly to the recycling companies.
The London Landfill reclaimers take sustainability to a whole new level in this town where conservation is a way of life. Their activities are seamlessly synonymous with the broader aspirations of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region: to promote initiatives toward ensuring environmental sustainability and fostering community upliftment. Thus, being conscious of and supporting these unsung heroes will amplify their work and help integrate them into the well-known conservation narrative of the town.
The group, organized under the Gadifeli Trust, comprises waste reclaimers from nearby villages such as Worcester, Bismark, and Molalane.
As the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region continues to hold high the flag of sustainability, it is important that a light shines on these silent performances. The reclaimers of London Landfill are not just waste managers; they are busy cultivating a model of resilience, economic empowerment, and environmental care for all. They deserve more than being recognized by many but deserve the continued support of all people who would like to see Hoedspruit as a cleaner and greener town.
PARTNERS/FUNDERS: TASC Foundation, Maruleng Municipality
Empowering Youth, Enriching the Future: The K2C MaB Youth Network's Journey
~K2C MaB Youth Network
Since its launch, the K2C MaB Youth Network has undertaken various initiatives to promote sustainability and empower young people. Key achievements include celebrating International Biodiversity Day through a guided walk, water monitoring, and educational activities at Phiring Tourist Attraction in partnership with TASC and local tourism.
Group photo in Phiring
The network commemorated Youth Day with events across four clusters (Phalaborwa, Sedawa, Phiring, and Buffelshoek), featuring activities like documentary screenings, environmental talks, sustainable agriculture practices, and career guidance. They showcased local youth talents on World Youth Skills Day through social media, highlighting individuals like Tshauke Khomotso Queen and Dzunani Pride Zitha’s NoviceSphere.
Additionally, they marked Nelson Mandela Day with a cookout, fire maintenance education, and kindness teachings at Bochabelo Drop-In Centre. Most recently, they hosted the 1st Mass Meeting on July 29, 2024, to introduce the network’s purpose, committee, and upcoming plans, fostering a platform for engagement and clarity.
Mandela day cookout
Documentary screenings
We invite young people in the K2C region to join our network and contribute to shaping a sustainable future. Together, let’s cultivate stewardship and innovation, making a positive impact in our community!
Reflecting on the Citizen Science and Water Symposium
~ Phomelelo Malatji & Mokgale Maenetje
Reflecting on the incredible Citizen Science and Water Symposium at IIE MSA, our Freshwater Monitoring Data Administrator gained valuable insights into the power of citizen science in sustainable development and innovative projects enhancing water security. It was inspiring to see how community and youth involvement can drive significant environmental change and solutions.
Young people bring fresh perspectives, energy, and creativity to the table. Engaging youth in citizen science initiatives not only empowers them with knowledge and skills but also fosters a sense of responsibility and connection to their communities and environment. These programs offer valuable hands-on experience, enhance critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, and open new career pathways in environmental science, conservation, and sustainable development. By involving youth, we ensure a sustainable future driven by informed and passionate individuals.
This symposium was particularly beneficial to Kruger to Canyons Biosphere, as it aligns perfectly with our projects, such as freshwater monitoring through the UNESCO-Be Resilient program. The insights gained from the symposium will help us enhance our monitoring techniques, integrate more community involvement, and implement innovative solutions to improve water security in our region. The knowledge shared on ecological engineering and the role of wetlands will also support our ongoing efforts to protect and restore vital ecosystems.
This event has been a testament to the incredible potential of citizen science, especially when involving youth and community members in meaningful environmental work. We at Kruger to Canyons Biosphere are excited to implement the new ideas and strategies we’ve gained from this symposium, continuing our mission to foster sustainable development and water security in our region.
FUNDERS/PARTNERS: SANBI & IIE MSA
Nelson Mandela Day cookouts
~ Cookstove Project’s Community Support Practitioners
July 18th, internationally recognized as Nelson Mandela Day, is a call to action that serves to honor the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela. In celebration of the late president’s birthday, people around the globe reflect on Mandela’s values and principles by pledging their time to making a positive impact.
Northwest Cluster
The TASC monitoring teams in the Kruger to Canyons (K2C) region invested their time in hosting community cookouts in their respective clusters, with key messages centered around Nelson Mandela’s famous quotes. The northwest cluster monitors, led by Thabang Khohloane, the Citizen Science Monitor (CCSM), and two YES4Youth Environmental Custodians (EC), hosted a community cookout at Bochabelo Drop-In Centre in Mabin A Village.
K2C staff joined the center’s staff and management, as well as CWP employees, for the cooking process. The menu included stiff porridge, cabbage, and chicken livers, as specified by the Department of Social Development, with the addition of tinned fish and concentrated juice.
Thabang and Keneilwe engaged with the cooks on using TASC’s efficient cookstoves, sharing tips on fire maintenance, wood type, moisture content, and how to use the stove to its full potential. The cooks appreciated the stove’s strong flame and firewood-saving capabilities. In line with Nelson Mandela’s quote, “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead,” a meal was prepared for learners from the nearby Kgopong Primary School. The event highlighted the significance of Mandela Day, the 67-minute initiative, and the principle of kindness and its ripple effect.
A meal was prepared for learners from the nearby Kgopong Primary School
Southeast Cluster
The southeast cluster monitors and one Environmental Custodian hosted a clean-up initiative and cookout demonstration at Ka-Shorty Village. They collaborated with the village headman to showcase the efficient use of cookstoves, encouraging their adoption for fuel efficiency in households. During the 67 minutes dedicated to Mandela Day, community leaders, members, Environmental Custodians, EPWP workers, and the Wild Impact team joined the clean-up campaign.
A presentation on the importance of maintaining a clean environment was well-received by the community. Together, they collected approximately 60 bags of waste, ensuring proper disposal in the community skip bin. The cookout included practical demonstrations of the cookstove, highlighting its efficiency in meal preparation and wood-saving benefits. The community appreciated learning how to use the cookstove effectively, marking a successful event.
Together, they collected approximately 60 bags of waste
Southwest Cluster
The southwest cluster monitors and the Environmental Custodian organized a cookout and stakeholder engagement at Madjembeni Youth Development Centre. The event aimed to raise awareness about the cookstove project among youth and educate them on its safe use. Attendees included the Ward Councillor, Ward Committee, Induna, community members, and center leadership.
The team presented the TASC/K2C cookstove project objectives, focusing on addressing environmental challenges like deforestation and carbon emissions. The Ward Councillor and Induna emphasized the importance of youth involvement in conservation. Community members shared benefits like efficient fuel consumption and cost reduction. The team demonstrated practical usage, showcasing the cookstove’s efficiency.
Key Takeaways:
- Educating youth on conservation and cookstove usage
- Addressing environmental challenges like deforestation and carbon emissions
- Community benefits: efficient fuel consumption, time-saving, and cost reduction
- Challenges: cookstove size limitations and ash disposal
- Commitment to continued collaboration and environmental advocacy
Northeast Cluster
The northeast community practitioners and YES4Youth Environmental Custodians organized a community meeting and cookout on July 23 at Mbaula Village. This was a follow-up to the low stove usage found in a monitoring study completed two weeks earlier.
The meeting, attended by 45 indunas, community members, and councillors, aimed to increase awareness of the importance of the TASC Cookstove offset projects’ objectives. The findings showed low stove utilization in some homes due to a lack of stove usage knowledge, as these households did not attend the mass sensitization community meeting organized by TASC/K2C during the distribution process.
The facilitator explained why the cookstoves were distributed and the concept of carbon offset projects aimed at reducing carbon emissions by distributing wood-efficient stoves to community members who rely on wood as their fuel source. The cookstove benefits were outlined, such as improved conservation through reduced wood use, less environmental pressure, and reduced collection time, alleviating the burden on women and children.
Community members were informed about post-distribution procedures, including monitoring, audits, KPTs, and habit surveys. During a practical session, the community learned how to ignite the stove and cook a meal using 8kg of wood, ultimately saving 3.4kg compared to open fire stoves. Community members were each provided with three stoves to prepare lunch, rice, and chicken stew, demonstrating how the stove can cook meals for many people using less wood and time.
Community members had the opportunity to ask questions about the stoves, and their positive feedback reflected a commitment to continued use and environmental awareness. Representatives of the royal council pledged to promote the value of using the stoves and support TASC/K2C meetings.
FUNDERS/PARTNERS: TASC and the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region
Empowering Communities: The Kruger to Canyons Biosphere's Freshwater Monitoring Initiative
~ Phomelelo Malatji
Freshwater monitoring offers multifaceted benefits for environmental protection, sustainable development, community engagement, and resilience building. It plays a vital role in safeguarding aquatic habitats and species by identifying pollution sources and tracking changes in water quality, thereby contributing to their protection and conservation.
Community engagement is fostered through freshwater monitoring programs, empowering local stakeholders to participate in environmental stewardship and raising awareness about water resource management. Additionally, insights from monitoring serve as scientific evidence for policymaking, informing the development of regulations and strategies aimed at preserving freshwater ecosystems. Furthermore, by establishing baseline data and detecting trends over time, freshwater monitoring helps build resilience against environmental changes and mitigate the impacts of climate change on water resources, ensuring their long-term sustainability.
Freshwater Citizen Scientists monitoring a river in the K2C
In the K2C Biosphere, citizen science has emerged as a powerful tool for monitoring freshwater health. A dedicated team of citizen science monitors has been actively involved in collecting crucial data on various freshwater parameters in local streams. Leveraging the convenience and accessibility of modern technology, the monitoring approach has evolved from a WhatsApp-based template to a more sophisticated system facilitated by the UNESCO Be-Resilient program’s implementation of the Be-Resilient citizen science app from QUARTEX.
With the implementation of the Be-Resilient app from QUARTEX by the UNESCO Be-Resilient program, the monitoring process has been further streamlined and enhanced. The app provides a user-friendly interface for data collection, allowing citizen science monitors to input and transmit data more efficiently. Additionally, the app offers features such as GPS tagging, data visualization, and real-time synchronization, improving the accuracy and accessibility of the collected data.
Freshwater monitors using a mobile app to record data from the field
By transitioning to the Be-Resilient app, the citizen science monitoring initiative in the K2C Biosphere has embraced this cutting-edge technology to advance freshwater monitoring efforts. This transition represents a significant step forward in harnessing the potential of citizen science to contribute to scientific research and environmental management, ultimately supporting the conservation and sustainable use of freshwater resources in the region.
FUNDERS/PARTNERS: UNESCO Be-Resilient Project
A High-Level Overview of Occupational Health & Safety in the Workplace
~Abigail Monareng
The K2C health and safety standards place a duty on both the employer and the employees to ensure that health and safety are always prioritized. This is achieved through the selection of an internal, functional occupational health and safety committee, where all health and safety-related risks and issues are discussed in detail, and recommendations or necessary risk mitigations are suggested for implementation.
Some important health and safety initiatives taken by K2C include the appointment of trained first aiders to provide immediate medical assistance in case of incidents resulting in injuries on duty. An emergency preparedness plan has also been developed and put in place for reference in case of an emergency impacting the organization and its stakeholders. Office inspections are conducted by appointed Health and Safety Representatives to assist the organization in identifying potential hazards.
Going forward, as a way of improvement, K2C aims to ensure that regular health and safety refresher training is arranged for all employees. Members of the K2C team are also working on ensuring the appointment of trained fire marshals to better assist the organization during fire-related incidents or emergencies. Regular emergency drills will also be conducted to ensure that everyone knows what to do in case of emergency evacuations. This exercise will help ensure that everyone is aware of all the exit points and the location of all the dedicated emergency assembly points.