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u The Bheki Mdletshe Award (Engagement Champion). The winner for the award was Anne Bruzas for her active participation in and outside the forum session
NB: The Bheki Mdletshe award has been named after the late Mr Bheki Mdletshe to honour his memory as the previous chair of the Biodiversity Forum.
“It’s time for wetland restoration”
To commemorate the World Wetland Day ( 2nd of February every year), the third forum was allocated
a wetland theme, presentations that were delivered were focused on understanding the impacts caused
by droughts within wetlands, determining whether wetlands are carbon sinks or sources and predicting the response of wetlands to different threats. One of the key messages from the session was that there needs to be conservation aimed at the protection of landscapes with a diversity of wetland types, rather than individual wetlands.
“Youth, the building blocks of biodiversity”
Mr Sabelo B Nkosi (Senior Manager: Biodiversity Planning Branch in the Biodiversity Management Department) handing over the Perfect Attendance Award to Mr Clive Walker.
To commemorate the International Day for Biodiversity
(22 May 2023) and the Youth month (June 2023), the forum was allocated a youth in biodiversity theme. Presentations that were delivered focused on youth led projects and the 2023 City Nature Challenge (CNC). One of the key messages from the session was that the youth’s expertise and participation in biodiversity policies and conservation will help promote environmental protection for the wellbeing of one and all. As part of the 2023 CNC, the number of biodiversity observations increased by 40% (from 12965 to 15152) because of the social media advertising which placed eThekwini 2nd in the 2023 South African league.
To get more information or attend the forum, please contact
Ms Nelisiwe Mvuni (Nelisiwe.Mvuni@durban.gov.za or 031 322 8595)
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