KZN CF ACTIVITIES

Wattled Crane pair in flight

Activities of the KZN CF

During the course of 2005, both full-time staff members resigned and the KZNCF Committee embarked on a comprehensive re-evaluation and analysis of its strategy in fulfilling the organisation’s primary objectives as revealed in its mission statement. As a result a new approach has been adopted which places a great deal more emphasis on public awareness and education without forfeiting the traditional role played in research, monitoring and developmental surveillance. In essence this amounts to :

a) a realisation that the donation to KZNCF of 450 ha of valuable grassland at Nottingham Road linking up with the existing KZNCF HQ at the Usher Conservation Centre (UCC), offers a golden opportunity to advance an engagement with the broad public and school children through practical exposure to the fauna and flora and related habitats of the midlands natural environment.

b) the realisation that the former strategy of interacting with farmers, developers and local communities present in the areas of crane occurrence should, to be optimally effective, cover all aspects of biodiversity within the region including those other threatened species such as Blue Swallow, oribi antelope, and Cape Parrots ,which, alongside cranes rely on much the same habitats.

c) that whereas the KZNCF should concentrate primarily on the development of public education facilities and supporting infrastructure at the Crane and Oribi Sanctuary at Nottingham Road the more technical task of research and monitoring and interaction with land users is best handled by the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) in accordance with that organisations regional biodiversity programme in KwaZulu Natal.

To this end the KZNCF has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the EWT that will give expression to this new approach through the transfer of this post and its establishment costs to the EWT for supervision purposes within the regional programme. In every other respect the work and general direction of the incumbent officer in the post in question will follow the same pattern as before with the KZNCF acting as the monitoring authority over performance and results.

At the UCC the KZNCF intends to embark on the developing, equipping and staffing of an education centre that will provide the type of motivational inspiration for the many schools as well as visitors travelling the Midlands Meander route. Already, local farmers representing a Conservancy of which the Crane and Oribi Sanctuary is an integral part, have offered to host a nature trail that will encompass a host of biodiversity interests including a nesting pair of Wattled Cranes.

It is our firm opinion that this change in administrative arrangements will enhance the future of the KZNCF in partnership with the EWT and produce more meaningful results for biodiversity conservation.

KZN CF (in partnership with the Endangered Wildlife Trust and South African Crane Working Group) activities include:

  • To foster and encourage the awareness of, and interest in, cranes and their habitats
    through the implementation of an environmental education and awareness programme (the Biodiversity Environmental Education Programme (BEEP)) linking in with other like-minded conservation organizations (such as the Blue Swallow Working Group, Cape Parrot Working Group, Oribi Working Group) to share expertise and resources, in order to achieve similar education and awareness aims, targeting:
    1. school pupils and teachers, farm workers and rural communities in agricultural regions using workshops and informal visits
    2. landowners and the general public using one-to-one communication, talks, newsletters, Farmers’ Days and shows
  • To promote and implement crane habitat research and monitoring
    KZN Crane Foundation, in partnership with the Endangered Wildlife Trust, coordinate regular monitoring programmes, involving aerial surveys, Coordinated Avifaunal Roadcounts and a National Crane Census,to better understand the trends in the regional populations, thereby allowing the assessment of the Foundation’s work. In addition,many specific research projects have been implemented, aimed at gaining a better understanding of the biophysical requirements of cranes.ing a better understanding of the biophysical requirements of cranes. The KZN CF is also supporting university students performing various research projects.
  • To promote wise habitat management and restoration
    • through close liaison with all farmers and other landowners, to establish good relations towards long-term crane and habitat survival – the Crane Custodian Programme;
    • partnerships between provincial conservation agencies, birders, other NGOs, governmental departments (agricultural extension offices, regional education offices), tourism initiatives, municipalities, etc
    • EIA involvement through comments and liaison with DEAT, DEAE, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, and developers of all kinds who are impacting on crane habitat, including private consultants
  • To provide facilities for the study and enjoyment of cranes, their natural habitat and wetlands
    through the development of the UCC towards the ongoing achievement of the above
  • To promote, facilitate and implement population management strategies of captive and wild cranes
    • Powerline investigations - The KZN Crane Foundation will continue to investigate the impact of overhead transmission lines on the provinces biodiversity and submit suitable reports where appropriate.
    • Poisoning investigations - The KZN Crane Foundation will continue to investigate poisoning incidents of cranes and other wildlife species and submit suitable reports where appropriate to the PWG.
    • Wattled Crane recovery Programme - The KZN Crane Foundation will continue to contribute to the WCRP through its monitoring of Wattled Crane breeding productivity and the collection of second eggs, should the WCRP deem it necessary.

Crane breeding sites are monitored by professional fieldworkers

Back to the top