Supporting local communities through biodiversity conservation

• Published date: 23 May 2022
• Publication title: South African Official News

Government has once again demonstrated its commitment towards ensuring that local communities are supported and uplifted whilst also ensuring that the country's unique natural environments and resources are conserved.

Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, demonstrated this commitment through the formal launch of the Thohoyandou National Botanical Garden on Sunday as part of the International Day for Biodiversity celebrations.

International Day was celebrated under theme: 'Building a shared future for all life,' which was aptly captured during the launch's proceedings.

According to the Minister, the establishment of the Thohoyandou National Botanical Garden paves the way for future initiatives that aim to protect the country's precious biodiversity and simultaneously uplifts and supports local communities, whereby South Africans continue to learn to build a shared future for all life.

'Conserving and restoring ecosystems, such as wetlands, rivers, and catchments, can reduce the disastrous impacts of extreme weather events, including floods and droughts,' Creecy said.

The Thohoyandou National Botanical Garden supplements South Africa's network of national botanical gardens by contributing approximately 82 hectares of the Soutpansberg Mountain Bushveld. With only a mere 2.2% of this threatened vegetation type currently under formal protection, the declaration and launch serves as a conservation win for the country and its people.

Situated within the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, the largest biosphere reserve in the country, the garden is home to a number of unique butterfly species, insects and threatened plant species. Of special importance, not just to conservation but also to the local communities are the various plant species that have important medicinal properties and value.

'South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) envisages that the plan for the Thohoyandou Garden will increase its educational value, financial viability and the interest and support of visitors, tourists, and the local community. We envisage the garden design where the choice of species represents multiple values of plants to the people, communicated in highly innovative, yet culturally appropriate ways,' said SANBI Chairperson, Prof Edward Nesamvuni.

The botanical garden is expected to play a role in highlighting and promoting indigenous plants that are used for food, African arts, medicine, perfumes, traditional architecture, horticulture, and...