WESSA Annual Report 2023-2024

Green Coast

B Building on the success of the Blue Flag eco-label and acknowledging its limited applicability to urban beaches, WESSA introduced the Green Coast Award to extend recognition to coastal sites with high biodiversity, cultural significance, and eco-tourism potential.

Launched in 2017, the Green Coast eco-label is an annual accolade from WESSA that acknowledges coastal locations demonstrating exceptional standards in coastal preservation, environmental education, and the promotion of eco tourism through collaborative initiatives. For the 2023–2024 season, six sites were awarded Green Coast status: Kei Mouth, Morgan Bay, Chintsa, Nature’s Valley, Gwaing Beach, and Blaauwberg Nature Reserve. Green Coast Programme elevating coastal stewardship and eco-tourism

The Green Coast initiative fosters collaboration, innovation, and community involvement in coastal stewardship. Each site must meet a set of stringent criteria designed to ensure continuous improvement in environmental, developmental, and participatory standards. Through Green Coast, partnerships between local government and civil society are strengthened, emphasising that the responsibility for these valuable coastal resources extends beyond local authorities to include all citizens reliant on them. Coastal areas awarded Green Coast

status attract a distinct tourism market, appealing to adventurers, outdoor enthusiasts, and those seeking nature-based experiences. This eco-label elevates the visibility of these sites within the tourism sector, consolidating them under a unified national recognition, while simultaneously driving enhanced management of these natural assets.

Gwaing Beach nestled between Granite Fynbos cliffs at the mouth of the Gwain River (George Municipality)

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WESSA ANNUAL REPORT 2023 – 2024

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