The Agulhas Biodiversity Initiative will host its third annual general meeting as a voluntary association on 24 June 2015. ABI partners are invited to attend the meeting, which will be held at Van Brakel Store, between Caledon and Napier.
At the AGM, the ABI Coordination Unit (ABI is coordinated by Flower Valley Conservation Trust) and theme leaders and other partners will provide feedback on ABI’s activities during the past year.
The ABI Alien Clearing Project recently started its third year of operations, during which a further 30,000 hectares are being cleared, and around 220 jobs are created. The project is funded by the Department of Environmental Affairs through its Land User Incentive Scheme, and is supported through co-funding commitments from partners.
During the past year, ABI partners also investigated incorporating fire management with invasive alien management activities in the ABI Alien Clearing Project area and beyond. The FynbosFire Project is implementing a study into the integration of fire and alien vegetation activities, with the Agulhas Plain identified as a pilot study site. The opportunities presented in this study will also be tabled at the AGM.
Beatrice Conradie from UCT will also join the AGM to discuss the evaluation of future public works programmes. Her team have been studying a community-led fencing project in the Karoo. The findings hold important lessons for future public works programmes, and measuring their success (including in the ABI Alien Clearing Project, should ABI be successful in securing funding for a further three years from the Department of Environmental Affairs).
Partners and friends wishing to attend the ABI AGM should RSVP to info@agulhasbiodiversity.co.za to confirm attendance by Wednesday 17 June.