African Wildlife and Environment Issue 66

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FAUNA, FLORA & WILDLIFE

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FAUNA, FLORA & WILDLIFE

of protected coastline but rather a platform for collaboration, innovation and local public participation. As a 90 year old organisationwith strong roots in membership structures, WESSA aims to use this platform to re-invigorate public participation along the coastline. Where possible, all Green Coast sites should aim to include a local residents’ association or public group who are able to mobilise active citizens to participate in the management of the site. The Green Coast criteria include aspects of basic ecological monitoring which allow for the setup of exciting new citizen science initiatives. The Green Coast sites with their unique habitat, species and cultural heritage, also provide ideal locations for outdoor learning and exemplary environmental education activities. The objectives of Green Coast are two-fold. Firstly it aims to provide a system for sustainable management of sensitive coastal spaces and secondly, to engage local citizens to become involved in management of these unique sites. The Blue Flag

The main themes covered by the Green Coast Award include: Environmental Management; Ecological Monitoring; TourismManagement and Environmental Education. A local Green Coast site committee will oversee the management of each site, and this committee should ideally have representatives of all stakeholders involved in the management of the site. The Green Coast Award is issued on an annual basis following a successful WESSA audit and application process to the Green Coast National Jury. The National Jury is the body responsible for the awarding of Green Coast status and this body comprises, up to ten suitably qualified experts. The South African coastline represents a unique part of our country’s diverse heritage. It is a space that should be accessible for all of our citizens and a space that we all should be immensely proud of. Green Coast aims to provide the platform for this by improving access, awareness and pride in sensitive coastal spaces around our country. The responsibility of managing these sites does not sit with local

Munster, KZN South Coast (Photograph: John Wesson)

‘fast results delivery programme to help implement the National Development Plan’. The South African coastline has been identified as a crucial starting point for this strategy, as Government aims to realise the potential that the coastline offers as an untapped resource. Operation Phakisa states that the oceans have the potential to contribute up to 177 billion Rand to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and create approximately 1 million jobs by 2030. When considering the vulnerability of our vast biodiversity hotspots, as well as the aggressive development policy represented by Operation Phakisa, never before has there been more urgency to encourage partnerships between local government and civil society, to sustainably manage our coastal resources. The Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA), together with the then Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT), implemented the International Blue Flag Beach Programme in 2001. The programme has become an

excellent example of a long termpartnership between civil society and local government, as it enters its 16th year of operation in South Africa. Using the lessons learnt from the Blue Flag programme, WESSA has developed a second coastal award for implementation along the South African coastline. The Green Coast Award has been developed to recognise those coastal sites which are managed according to standardised criteria and able to maintain a consistent improvement of conditions at the site. Green Coast sites aim to protect one of three main coastal themes namely; sensitive habitats, species and cultural heritage. The Green Coast Award allows local municipalities to sustainably manage those coastal sites outside of traditionally developed swimming beaches. The award has been developed in a way that will allow for adequate monitoring and protection of the site, whilst also allowing for the development of low impact coastal tourism, should there be potential for this. A Green Coast site is not just another stretch

Salt Rock, KZN South Coast (Photograph: John Wesson)

programme has allowed WESSA the opportunity to develop strong relationships with a host of local municipalities and in 2016, our relationship with National Government was developed further through the Tourism Blue Flag Project funded by the National Department of Tourism (NDT). In an attempt to now extend this positive influence along our coastline to non-swimming beaches, WESSA will work closely with existing municipal partners to identify new coastal sites to manage under the Green Coast guidelines.

government alone, but with every citizen that inevitably relies on this resource. The Green Coast award is an excellent opportunity for local citizens to act and become involved in efforts to improve and protect our incredible coastline.

Vincent Shacks General Manager Ecotourism, WESSA www.wessa.org.za

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51 | African Wildlife & Environment | 66 (2017)