“Besides its stunning mountain ranges, lakes, rivers and ocean vistas, visitors to the Garden Route increasingly refer to the Garden…
environment
Landowners used lockdown to clear thousands of hectares in the Garden Route of invasive alien plants at their own cost
“A recent survey conducted amongst a hundred landowners in the Garden Route, indicated that they collectively cleared close to two…
Southern Cape community to reflect on environmental management during December 2020 event
“Worldwide there is a general perception that COVID-19 and the resultant lockdown measures implemented globally have had a positive impact…
Survey indicates that Southern Cape landowners support conservation efforts
“The Knysna and Outeniqua wildfire disasters clearly showed that living in the rural-urban interface can be potentially hazardous if environmental…
California steaming whilst Knysna and Bitou are reloading for wildfire round number two
“With world news headlines dominated by COVID-19 and lockdown-related matters, coinciding with heated American politics and current affairs, the largest…
Local technology offers environmental rehabilitation options
“Land management requires planning, budgeting, prioritisation, sustained effort and making use of appropriate and affordable technology options that bear optimal results,” says…
Landowners and land managers work together to restore the environment
“Since the wildfire ripped through the area, landowners and land managers along the Knysna River did a great job in…
Rehabilitation of under-threat Southern Cape river systems
“The rehabilitation of under-threat Southern Cape river systems by private landowners can provide the perfect environment for the creation of…
Impact of climate change on freshwater management – a potential driver for emerging infectious diseases
As part of an ongoing debate on correlations which can be drawn from the nett-effects of COVID-19, and that which…
Ecological integrity of the once-mighty Krom River in serious peril
The ecological integrity of the once-mighty Krom River is in serious peril, says Cobus Meiring of the Southern Cape Landowners Initiative (SCLI).…
Southern Cape coastal degradation visible as winter storms take their toll
“Much of the erosion and degradation of the Southern Cape coastline, in particular from Mossel Bay to Storms River, are…
AfriForum submits commentary on application for intended exploration
The civil rights organisation AfriForum on 21 August 2020 submitted commentary on the intended exploration application in a region of the coastal…
Together, we can stand strong like a forest – Greenpop
South African-based environmental organisation, Greenpop, calls for a focus on forests, this Arbor Month. South Africa celebrates Arbor month in…
A fast-changing landscape requires new partnerships, adaptive management and purpose-built technology
As part of an ongoing effort to address land management issues, brought on by climate change, the Garden Route Environmental…
Garden Route landowners are doing their bit for biodiversity conservation
“Landowners in the Garden Route are, generally speaking, very conservation-orientated in every sense, and many more have learnt the hard…
Over-population and development posing biggest threat to biodiversity in the Southern Cape
“Over-population and new developments are posing a major threat to biodiversity in the Southern Cape,” says Cobus Meiring of the…
COVID-19 forces the Southern Cape to shift gear
Cobus Meiring, chair of the Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF) Secretariat, interviewed the Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and…
Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF) teams up with Husqvarna South Africa to tackle climate change and environmental management
“A fast-changing climate brings changes to the way landowners are managing plant growth, both indigenous and invasive alien species, on…
Recovery of indigenous vegetation following the 2017 wildfire disaster remarkable, but regrowth of invasive alien plants on a large scale a reason for concern
On the eve of the commemoration of the 2017 wildfire disaster which ripped through Knysna and Plettenberg Bay like a…
Ecological grief sets in as the lockdown highlights the looming plight of greater humanity – the destruction of our environment
“In an ongoing series of debates with experts in various fields, the Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF) seeks to highlight…
Disintegration of water and sanitation services holds threat to community health
“The effects of the novel COVID-19 pandemic are sending shockwaves through the world on many levels, and in South Africa,…
Closing Garden Route beaches annually may not be such a bad idea after all
“The closing of Southern Cape beaches during the COVID-19 lockdown period, controversial as it may seem, may well set the…
Marine and coastal monitoring during lockdown
“Deserted Southern Cape beaches stretch for miles with only cormorants, Black Oyster Catchers and seagulls going about their business in…