Page 22 - State of Biodiversity Report 2022/2023

2022-2023 ETHEKWINI BIODIVERSITY FORUM
Article by: Nelisiwe Mvuni
Email: Nelisiwe.Mvuni@durban.gov.za
The eThekwini Biodiversity Forum is a quarterly meeting aimed at enhancing communication
and strengthening partnerships between government departments, civil society organizations and academic institutions regarding biodiversity related matters in Durban. The forum was established around 2009. In 2021, a decision was made to host the forum as a hybrid event (online and in- person) and theme the sessions to stimulate more focused discussions. The four themes of the 2022-2023 financial year are as follows:
“Celebrating Africa’s first Marine Protected Areas Day”
The forum was allocated a marine theme to commemorate the first Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Day in Africa. Presentations that were delivered were on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), the Oceans Economy and SAAMR’s (South African Association for Marine Biological Research) contributions to a research project. One of the key messages from the session was that MPAs have
a range of benefits such as sustaining fisheries, providing seasonal protection for threatened line fish, attracting tourism development linked to beaches, and preserving habitats for iconic species like sharks, rays, sea turtles and more.
“Conservation for or by the people”
Long term conservation success requires engaging local communities and implementing projects that benefit them. To better understand how community-based conservation is being achieved in Durban,the forum was allocated a conservation for or by the people theme. The invited speakers presented on the three waves of conservation in South Africa, restoration work in the upper uMkhomazi Catchment and the Inanda & Hazelmere Dam alien invasive plant eradication project. One of the key messages from the session was that interventions for biodiversity conservation need to have community interest in mind by looking at the environmental, economic and social interests. In the same event, the following awards were presented:
u Perfect Attendance - was awarded to Ayanda Ngola, Cherise
Acker, Clive Walker, Himansu Baijnath and Mfanafuthi Gambu. u Best Presenter - was awarded to Dr Jeanne Tarrant and
Cherise Acker for the work presented on Wetland Conservation u Best Presentation - was awarded to Warren Botes for his presentation on “Creating a desktop map of the wetlands of
eThekwini”.
Participants of the Biodiversity Forum.
20 STATE OF BIODIVERSITY REPORT 2022/2023