Invasive alien clearing team leaders, part of the Agulhas Biodiversity Initiative (ABI) Alien Clearing Project attended fire suppression training. The training was hosted by the Greater Overberg Fire Protection Association (GOFPA), an ABI partner, on 15 and 16 July 2015 outside Bredasdorp.
Twenty two people attended the training, 14 from the ABI project. Other attendees included staff from Flower Valley Conservation Trust and SANParks.
According to Roger Bailey, the ABI Alien Clearing Project co-ordinator, the new skills for the team leaders are essential for those most active in the veld. “Our alien clearing project participants are out in the veld everyday, and it’s vital that they know how to suppress and manage fires. This training will therefore be extremely beneficial. It has also provided great new skills and capacity to our project participants, which will no doubt come in handy – especially in our region, where we face severe fire threats during the hot summer months.”
From the ABI team, our thanks to GOFPA for organising and providing the training.