IMPROVE LANDSCAPES. CONNECT COMMUNITIES.
The Agulhas Biodiversity Initiative is a landscape initiative. We work with partners across the Agulhas Plain and broader Overberg in the Western Cape of South Africa, using a landscape-level approach to facilitate conservation.
What does this mean?
Well, see ABI as the mother ship – the platform where all organisations and partners involved in conservation and social development meet, update each other, inspire each other and find areas of cooperation.
From here, our partners exit the mother ship and return to their daily duties – with new knowledge, ideas and support.
Now we’re strengthening and broadening these partnerships
With government, landowners, conservation organisations, the private sector, and any other individual and body involved in the management and use of our area’s natural assets.
We work according to four theme areas, each with their own theme leader. These are:
1. Integrated land-use planning (including controlling invasive alien plants)
2. Viable nature-based, Responsible tourism
4. Transitioning to a Green Economy
Our current goal is: Working together to secure a healthy natural environment to provide benefits for all, forever, within the Overberg.
We have five main objectives in ABI, also known as the 5 C’s:
1. To convene interested and affected parties to develop a strategy for cooperation to influence land-use and development planning, as well as to develop an integrated development plan for the ABI area.
2. To collate good quality information and data; analyse, communicate and use this data so that it can be utilised as a basis for planning and monitoring of initiatives.
3. To facilitate communications between all parties with a particular focus on engaging local municipalities in the delivery of services that mainstream biodiversity and natural resource conservation.
4. To conceptualise projects and initiatives by supporting partners in the identification of gaps and opportunities, including research, which guide and prioritise conservation action and projects.
5. To raise the cash for and secure investment in priority activities and projects, including sourcing sustainable finance through innovative mechanisms and projects.
Other projects ABI has been involved in:
Since 2013, ABI provided a Small Grants Facility – supported by key partner, the Table Mountain Fund (an associated Trust of WWF-SA). The ABI Small Grants Facility gave financial support to 20 small projects over three years. Projects had to meet one of ABI’s four theme areas. The idea behind the Small Grants Programme was to encourage closer cooperation between community-based conservation-related projects and municipalities in the Overberg – and it did just that. These community-based projects included: the Nuwejaars Wetlands SMA, Greyton Transition Town, Birdlife Overberg, Whale Coast Conservation and many more.
For more information, please contact the ABI office on 028 425 2218, or email info@agulhasbiodiversity.co.za
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OVERBERG
Located around the most southerly tip of Africa, the Overberg region is the showcase of some of the most beautiful landscapes.
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