Wetland CEO to wax about ‘paving paradise’ at BotSoc AGM
The 330,000-hectare iSimangaliso Wetland Park, which includes 8% of South Africa’s coastline, is the country’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
CEO of iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority, Andrew Zaloumis will give an illustrated presentation, ‘Turning paradise into a parking lot?’ at Durban Botanic Gardens Visitors’ Centre on Sunday afternoon, 31 July at 3pm.
Zaloumis will be the guest speaker at the annual general meeting of the Botanical Society of SA KZN coastal branch.
“To be resilient and have choices in the face of rapid global change, places of global importance like iSimangaliso need to be locally relevant. The strategy and drive at iSimangaliso is one of ‘rewilding’ – the large-scale restoration of complex natural ecosystems and enrichment of human life through inclusive conservation practises. But poverty remains a major problem and people are tempted to believe the hollow promises of the smoke-stack industries to provide the jobs they desperately need. Romantic notions of a return to the land also challenge its very existence. There is no doubt that iSimangaliso’s future along with other major parks in Southern Africa is dependent on our ability to unlock tangible economic opportunities for the marginalised communities who live around them and ensuring socio-economic policies and choices of sub-Saharan Africa that are pro-environment,” said Mr Zaloumis.
The 330,000-hectare iSimangaliso Wetland Park, which includes 8% of South Africa’s coastline, is the country’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Andrew Zaloumis is a recipient of the 2015 World Wildlife Fund Living Planet Award. He holds degrees in economics and town and regional planning, and is currently completing a masters in sustainability leadership at Cambridge. He is a Fellow of the sixth class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-South Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. He has lived and worked for over 25 years in poverty-stricken rural areas with high conservation value and is keenly interested in indigenous knowledge systems related to the environment and wilderness.
There is no charge to attend the function and all are welcome. Refreshments will be served. RSVP for catering purposes by 27 July to botsoc-kzn@mweb.co.za or make enquiries by calling 031-201-5111 or 071-869-3693.
