THE WILDERNESS Foundation has moved its headquarters to the Eastern Cape – a province described by founder Dr Ian Player as “the new Wilderness Frontier”. Dr Player was speaking during the highly successful 7th World Wilderness Congress, which was held in Port Elizabeth from November 2 to 8 this year. He went on to describe the Eastern Cape as a “gem”. “I predict the Eastern Cape will become one of the most exciting destinations in South Africa due to the expanding wildlands. In turn this will improve the healing of the land, increase economic benefits for the area and provide better understanding for the rest of the world. It is vital that this treasure be preserved, and that both people and the environment benefit from conservation in the Eastern Cape,” says Wilderness Foundation chief executive officer Andrew Muir. A good foundation for the sustainable development of the Eastern Cape natural heritage was laid at the 7th World Wilderness Congress, he says. During the congress it was announced that the World Bank’s Global Environment Facility (GEF) would be giving a grant of one million US dollars to help preserve the Baviaanskloof area in the Eastern Cape. “The fact that the Wilderness Foundation had plans to move to the province played a major role in persuading the GEF to make the grant. “More funding for conservation will be attracted because of the presence of an internationally-recognised organisation like the Wilderness Foundation,” says Muir. Urgent steps need to be taken to preserve the Baviaans, which is the largest protected area in the Eastern Cape. It includes a breathtaking range of landscapes and biological diversity. Plans for its conservation and development include the return of elephant and lion to the area. However, issues of land ownership have to be settled before the Baviaans can be fully developed, says Muir. “This is where the experience of the Wilderness Foundation and its sister organisations, the US-based WILD Foundation and the Wildlife Trust of Britain will be needed. “There are similar land issues around the world. Ways can and have to be found for those who have a claim to the land to be accommodated.” Another environmental breakthrough in which the Wilderness Foundation will be involved is the management of a newly-designated three thousand hectare wilderness area in the privately-owned Shamwari reserve outside Port Elizabeth. Shamwari announced a breakthrough for the conservation of wilderness areas by the private sector during the Wilderness Congress. The reserve’s lawyers helped to draft the legal regulations needed to allow for the declaration and protection of privately-owned wilderness areas in South Africa. Over 3,000 hectares (7,5000 acres) – or 16 per cent of Shamwari – has been placed under legal servitude to the Wilderness Foundation. The Foundation’s new offices will be in Shamwari’s new wildlife management centre situated in the reserve’s breeding area. “We are keen to see the Shamwari model rolled out throughout the Eastern Cape and the rest of South Africa,” says Mr Muir. “There are a number of conservancies and reserves in the province which could also legally preserve portions of their properties as wilderness areas, while a number of the bigger private reserves in the rest of the country are also interested in the concept.” Mr Muir also sees the foundation playing an important role in guiding development tin the Eastern Cape. A number of resolutions passed at the congress deal with Eastern Cape issues. One of these is the future of the Van Staden’s nature reserve, which is one of the oldest proclaimed nature reserves in South Africa. The Nelson Mandela Metro has plans to deproclaim part of the reserve, which is 30 kilometres out of Port Elizabeth, in order to establish a low-income housing project. “This is exactly the type of issue which the Wilderness Foundation will be tackling in the Eastern Cape and elsewhere in South Africa. “We understand the need for affordable housing and for government action for the underprivileged, but at the same time believe that nature reserves are inviolate areas and de-proclamation is a non-acceptable action. “Solutions have to be found,” he says. Another resolution calls on “local and regional government, with assistance from national agencies and international funders where possible, introduce to and educate the communities of the Transkei in as many natural resource techniques as possible that restore ecological balance and self-sufficiency, including but not limited to permanent agriculture systems. We see the former Transkei as one of the Eastern Cape ‘gems’ to which Dr Player was referring. The Foundation can assist with both fund-raising and training,” says Dr Muir. And on the western border of the province, there is a resolution that calls for the restoration of the Southern Cape forests. According to the resolution South Africa, “because of its innovative conservation policies and long-standing statutory recognition of wilderness areas, is uniquely placed to pioneer the ecological restoration of indigenous forests in Africa as part of the vital task to achieve ecological and economic sustainability for Africa in the decades ahead.” “That is an exciting challenge. Through our international network, I believe we have access to the skills that will be needed,” says Muir. The Wilderness Foundation will not, however, be limiting its operations to its new home in the Eastern Cape. “One of the practical advantages of the Eastern Cape is its central location. We will continue to promote wilderness throughout South and Southern Africa,” says Muir.