This project, successfully completed in November 2015, was funded by a substantial grant from the National Lotteries Board. Everything Whale Coast Conservation has done and achieved since 2012 has met the objectives of this project.
Even though funding from the NLB ended in November 2015, Whale Coast Conservation has continued to promote environmental awareness, education and involvement in nature over the past year through regular interactive expos at schools, eco-adventures and holiday programmes.
WHAT HAS WCC BEEN DOING?
Have a look at what we have done through the period 2015 – 20161) THE NEED ADDRESSED BY THE PROJECT
South Africa is a signatory to Agenda 21, developed at a conference hosted in 1992 by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs’ Division for Sustainable Development, and has developed its National Spatial Development Perspective based upon the principles of sustainable living and development. The Western Cape Provincial Spatial Development Framework has further detailed the requirements for sustainable development in the Western Cape. There is therefore a need to promote awareness and understanding of sustainable development among children in our schools, the general public, key decision makers, business people and visitors to the area.
If we are to preserve the Overstrand’s most valuable tourism asset – the Cape Whale Coast – we need to promote development that does no harm to the environment in the first place and also benefits our various communities.
The Overberg Awareness Programme – Sustainable Development and Living is designed to promote awareness of the principles of sustainable development and sustainable living and of the opportunities that exist in the Overberg to implement development that will result in sustainable living.
2) PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the programme are to:
- Establish a facility (Eco-centre):
- that will assemble and disseminate information about sustainable development that is relevant and appropriate to the circumstances in the Overberg area;
- in which technology that supports the achievement of sustainable development can be easily accessed and demonstrated;
- in which people from disadvantaged communities can learn skills that will improve their standard of living through the use of sustainable practices that will allow organic growing of vegetables, solar cooking, solar water heating, re-use and recycling of waste, sustainable building etc.;
- Encourage progressive adoption by local government of by-laws that provide for the practical implementation of sustainable living principles.
- Stage Sustainable Living Expos that will provide a showcase that informs the public about the need for transformation to a sustainable lifestyle and the opportunity to see displays showing how this can be practically accomplished.