Community Contributer Group Award
Nature's Valley Trust
“The Nature’s Valley Trust is considered by WWF as one of the best and most effective small NGO’s in South Africa"
The Nature's Valley Trust was established in December 2000. By forging partnerships with neighbors, authority organizations, complementary bodies, research institutions and educations networks, the Trust has clearly demonstrated that small, mobilized, aware communities can
• Positively influence developments and activities that impact on the environment
• Play a significant role in advancing community based approaches to conservation
• Benefit economically from bio-cultural diversity
Today the trust represents a vehicle and an opportunity for communities on the Garden Route to influence and access opportunities within this area of rich cultural and bio-diversity.
Since Tsitsikamma National Park was declared, Nature’s Valley has played a key role as an access point to the coast and the western end of Tsitsikamma National Park. The Nature’s Valley community recognized that involved and proactive communities were essential in ensuring that future development was appropriate and sustainable and that negative environmental impacts are minimized.
The Trust’s aim is to “maintain the long term environmental integrity of Nature’s Valley and surrounding area by becoming proactively involved in issues that impact on the future of the area”.
Their projects are initiated and implemented to create proactive, educated and aware communities who
• Understand the value(from conservation and economic perspectives) of the areas rich bio-cultural diversity
• Sustainably manage and use the natural resources they have access to.
• Actively participate in decision making that affects them
• Are skilled up to take advantage of economic opportunities.
Projects include
1. The Status Report, a reference document for stakeholders
2. Environmental Education (7 outdoor classrooms in Nature’s Valley used by 1000 children plus, also Eco Schools Node in Plettenburg Bay, Adopt a Beach, Coast Care, Kids in Parks )
3. Adult and Community Awareness and Education
4. Newsletter
5. Eco Guidelines
6. Holiday Programme
7. Urban Conservancy
8. Skills development and job creation through the eco guides programme
9. Organic Waste Programme
10. Scholarships for conservation diplomas
11. Shell Midden site protection and development
12. rehabilitation of fynbos reserve
13. reintroduction of the critically endangered Brenton Blue Butterfly
14. Development of the Phyl Martin Botanical Garden and Herbarium
15. Rehabilitation of the Water Opal Wetland
16. Salt River Research
17. Groot River Estuary Research
18. Invasive Alien Mussel Project
The trust has sown the seed of a passionate and sustainable response by the relevant civil society organizations in the area and has wielded huge influence at the political economic and societal levels
