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Pride Campaign: Cape Floristic Region
Country: South Africa
Partner: Cape Nature
Campaign Manager: Jakob Hanekom
Project Area: The Cederberg Wilderness Area is one of seven protected areas selected to represent the Cape Floral Region for World Heritage Status and is an important core area in the Greater Cederberg Biodiversity Corridor (linking the coastal lowlands with the Succulent Karoo)
Principal Threats: Direct factors threatening the Cederberg include poaching, trapping, fires, tourism (causing trampling, erosion, pollution, increased risk of fire, and sometimes the removal of species), erosion, the removal of buchu (an herb) and cedar wood, and invasive alien plant species. Indirect factors include the lack of government funding, law enforcement, and infrastructure for conservation. Contributing factors are poverty and unemployment, and the lack of local community knowledge and awareness of conservation needs.
Campaign Goal: To conserve the fauna & flora of the Cederberg Wilderness and surrounding conservancies for future generations
Flagship Species: The Clanwilliam cedar tree
Campaign Slogan: Be a Friend to the Cederberg!
Notable Information from the Questionnaire Survey:
- The survey conducted in the target area revealed that only 36.8% of the general public accurately state that the Cederberg Wilderness is either highly threatened or somewhat threatened.
- 54.4% of those surveyed don’t know what the name of the protected area is, and in fact 33.6% of those surveyed do not know they live near a protected area.
- 66.67% of farmers could not name a single threat to the Cederberg Wilderness.
- 42.2% of the general public did not know the Clanwilliam Cedar is endemic to the Cederberg Wilderness and 57.8% do not know that it is on the verge of extinction.
Campaign SMART Objectives:
- Objective 1: By the end of October 2004, increase the number of the general public who state that the Cederberg wilderness is either highly or somewhat threatened, from 36.8% to 60%
- Objective 2: By October 31st 2004, 80% of the general public is informed about the fines for illegal harvesting of plants (presently 60% are informed)
- Objective 3: By the end of October 2004, 90% school children within the target area will have a better knowledge about the fauna and flora of the area, the threats and 20% assist to minimize these threats
- Objective 4: By October 2004, 1% of community members [100 people] will have participated in one of a series of conservation activities set up to enhance biodiversity conservation in the area
- Objective 5: By the end of October 2004, decrease the number of general public who are aware of the WCNCB but cannot name any of its functions, from 58% down to 35%
- Objective 6: By the end of October 2004, the number of farmers who are not aware of a single threat to the Cederberg Wilderness and conservancies will decrease from 66.67% to 40%
- Objective 7: By the end of October 2004, the general public who do not know that the Clanwilliam cedar are endemic to the Cederberg will decrease to 15% (currently 43.2% do not know) and 35% will know that the tree is also highly threatened and on the brink of extinction (currently 57.8% do not know)
- Objective 8: By the end of October 2004, the general public that do not know the name of the protected area will decrease from 54.4% to 25%
- Objective 9: By the end of October 2004, the percentage of the general public who said that they did not know that they lived in or near a protected area will be reduced from 33.6% to 15%
- Objective 10: By the end of October 2004, the number of general public who could not name a single threat to the Cederberg Wilderness will be reduced from 67% down to 35%
Highlights from the Results (based on pre- and post-campaign surveys):
- 94% (up from 42%) of the general public now know that the Clanwilliam cedar tree is at the brink of extinction and 82% (up from 47%) stated that the Cederberg Wilderness is threatened as well.
- Farmers who named “fire” as an important threat/factor affecting the Cederberg Wilderness increased 67 percentage points: from 26% up to 93%.
- Community groups have started planting Clanwilliam cedar seeds and, with the local government’s support, a new Fire Protection Association was set up by landowners to manage field and forest fires.
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© Hal Brindley
Pride Campaign Manager Jakob Hanekom poses alongside the Clanwilliam cedar tree, the flagship species for his campaign to conserve the plants and animals of the Cederberg Wilderness Area.
© Hal Brindley
Campaign Manager Jakob Hanekom makes regular visits to local schools accompanied by a friend in this costume of the Clanwilliam cedar tree.
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