Pennsylvania Fracking Accident – What Went Wrong – Popular Mechanics.
Month: May 2011
Update from the Blombos Conservancy
We recieved this note from the Blombos Conservancy:
Blombos Conservancy after 10 years
A Retrospective
The Blombos Conservancy was launched in April 2001 to better law
enforcement and for an organization to keep Blombos coast as an asset for
the future. The services of Peter Bestbier (Asterix) as a conservation
officer was obtained. The Blombos Conservancy over time as an organization
began to play its role – especially after the greater Blombos area began to
draw attention on account of his archaeological discoveries, natural beauty
and its status as a fishing paradise. The Conservancy has linked with
several other similar organizations (eg Duiwenoks Conservancy) and became
involved in several projects. Such projects included the census among the
Black Tobies, rubble removal on the beach, through community involvement.
The situation regarding law enforcement has improved, especially with the
control of vehicles on the beach and to reduce the ‘commercial’ crop of
oysters.
The Conservancy currently has no longer the services of a conservation
manager needed, but was in recent years involved with various issues that
affect landowners. The most topical issue is the land tax, and probably the
most topical issue at the moment, the proposed mining of shale gas in the
Blombos environment. Several members of the committee had played a prominent
and successful role to stop the application of Advasol.
The membership number of the Conservancy has varied over time and is
currently about 15. The financial status is healthy, with few monthly
expenses, eg bank charges.
In summary it can be said that the Blombos Conservancy is well established,
developed and progressed over the past 10 years. There is definitely still
great challenges ahead.
The future?
The pressure on the Blombos envoroment will definitely not be less in next
ten years. The responsibility of us as landowners and the Conservancy is to
protect the area and its resources and sustainable utilize the resources.
The marine resources along our coast are generally critically endangered
with many challenges in terms of conservation and utilization. The gas
mining issue is still dormant and it is hard to predict what challenges will
suddenly develop.
The Conservancy also herein has as an important link between the serving
members and the Hessequa municipality, particularly in relation to land tax
and community involvement.
The challenge is for the Blombos Conservancy to promote an organization that
cares for the environment and not as an exclusive coastal owners
organization.
Plan for 2011
1. To compose a complete list of members.
2. To determine the needs of individual members
3. Liase with the Hessequa Municipality, especially in relation to land tax.
4. Liaison with the Western Cape Nature Conservation.
5. Communication and feedback to the Conservancy members
6. To get the Conservancy’s membership fees and financial status up to date.
7. The assets and liabilities of the Conservancy must be reconciled.
8. A general meeting planned for every year – perhaps at the end of the
year.
Any suggestions would of course be welcome.
Floris Steytler
The newly elected Chairman of the Conservancy Blombos
boekie@netactive.co.za
April 2011