Turning a dream into reality -

The Eden to Addo Corridor Initiative was born when a group of locals were invited to a public meeting by Joan Berning in 2003. The response to Joan’s idea of establishing a corridor of privately owned land linking the Garden Route to Addo Elephant Park was overwhelming. Jill Gordon spoke about the work being done in Addo, Bool Smuts inspired us with tales from the Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve, Peet Joubert talked about his dream of the Garden Route Mega Park and Justine Sharples explained the role of CapeNature’s Stewardship programme with the result that everybody who attended was inspired by the idea that their little piece of land could one day form part of a biodiversity conservation corridor, filling the gaps between, and buffering existing parks and reserves.

A firm commitment was made to planning the corridor according to biodiversity conservation principles. Critical partnerships were identified with SANParks, CapeNature and the newly formed Garden Route Initiative for phase one of the project. Future partners were identified such as the Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve and Addo Elephant Park but most importantly the private sector was asked to think about what they want. Did they want development to continue in an ad hoc fashion as it has been or could they envision a collage of different land uses and human activities underpinned by sound environmental management. The kind of management that respects human and animal life, that allows the biodiversity of the region to thrive while encouraging a diversity of livelihoods – that allows the conservation of processes as opposed to individual habitats or species. The vision is one of harmony, of a relationship between man and nature that is mutually beneficial, not because we order it so but because it makes sense that way.

As such our Vision is:

“To assist landowners to identify and develop a living corridor from Eden to Addo by applying sound land-use practices, encouraging a diversity of livelihoods and linking ecologically important areas”.

Methodology

The method used by E2A to consolidate corridors and to facilitate the movement of species and of genetic material at the fine and the broader scale is to provide sufficient information to landowners about the natural processes that occur on their land and how best to enhance them. One of the main obstacles to proper ecological functioning in the landscape is the presence of alien invasive plant species and to a lesser degree, alien animal species. As an example of how a stand of alien vegetation can act as a barrier to certain processes, the orange breasted sunbird will hesitate to venture over a dense stand of alien plants preferring to remain where the fynbos is pristine or less altered. Similarly fencing, while keeping humans and domestic animals out of the domain of the wild animals, can also present absolute physical barriers to the movement of endemic species. Fragmentation of the landscape due to development, exacerbates both of these barriers through the introduction of alien species, the fencing of smaller and smaller land parcels and the general disturbance of natural patterns and processes. All of these aspects are addressed when a management plan for a landowner or group of landowners is drafted by E2A. Alien vegetation is mapped in detail and a strategy drafted for the sustainable management thereof; fencing is assessed for corridor “friendliness” and advice provided and a minimum area for a corridor delineated using aerial photographs. In addition, advice on a site specific basis is provided where threats to corridor functioning are identified e.g. erosion, track and trail management.