Pretoria: The Western Cape Government and CapeNature have taken steps to protect the province’s rich biodiversity and critical ecological infrastructure by launching two strategies to boost environmental resilience.
According to South African Government News Agency, the strategies will support the ‘Build Back Better’ approach by focusing on protecting and restoring important natural areas, making them stronger and more resilient.
Western Cape Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC, Anton Bredell, stated that while the province cannot rebuild ecosystems like it does with buildings, it can support them so that they recover more effectively from damage and adapt to environmental changes. Bredell mentioned that healthy ecosystems, including wetlands, forests, and rivers, help to reduce the impact of natural disasters like floods, fires, and droughts.
The two crucial strategies for advancing conservation and sustainable land use in the Western Cape include the 2023 Western Cape Biodiversity Spatial Plan (WCBSP) and the Western Cape Protected Areas Expansion Strategy (WCPAES). The 2023 WCBSP identifies priority areas for conservation and sustainable land use and serves as a blueprint for prioritising the province’s most valuable ecosystems. Bredell said the plan will form the bedrock of sustainable development in the province.
The second strategy, the WCPAES, outlines a clear approach to expanding protected areas, ensuring that both nature and people can thrive together. ‘The 2023 WCBSP identifies and prioritises important areas for conservation, integrating environmental protection with responsible land-use planning. The WCPAES takes this further by mapping out important areas for expansion of the protected area network to secure key ecological infrastructure, strengthen climate resilience, and support sustainable development,’ Bredell explained.
The 2023 WCBSP is the first provincial spatial plan, in accordance with the Western Cape Biodiversity Act (Act 6 of 2021). Bredell emphasised that the economy and the environment are inextricably linked, and all future planning must be implemented with this in mind. He stated that environmental protection and expansion of the conservation estate remains a critical priority for the Western Cape Government.
The MEC also emphasised the link between biodiversity conservation and communities. ‘Our province’s economy is deeply tied to nature, agriculture and tourism, and rural livelihoods depend on the long-term health of our ecosystems. Investing in conservation means investing in economic stability, food security and sustainable job creation. Through providing upfront considerations for spatial planning, we provide key insights to existing and potential investors. Creating a vibrant economy and the jobs created through this remains our focus. Investors can begin their planning processes with the environmental sector considerations already on the table,’ Bredell said.
CapeNature CEO Dr Ashley Naidoo mentioned that conservation is not just about protecting species but also bolstering the long-term sustainability of the Western Cape. ‘A thriving conservation sector drives job creation through the provision of stable ecosystem services like water security for our industrial sectors. Healthy biodiversity and ecosystems also remain the most cost-effective way to improve society’s resilience to extreme weather and climate change impacts.’
The WCPAES has been published for public comment, giving stakeholders an opportunity to shape the future of conservation in the Western Cape. CapeNature invites all interested parties to review and comment on the Draft WCPAES by visiting https://www.capenature.co.za/western-cape-protected-areas-expansion-strategy. Written comments on the Draft Strategy must be submitted within 60 days from the date of publication of the Notice in the Provincial Gazette, which was 31 January 2025.