Welcome
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From The Editor
The headline on Australia's premier online news site hollered "Nature Relentless in Her Cruelty". Snow was now compounding the disaster-control situation in Japan. Apparently, no one told the reporter that winters in northern Japan come with snow. Regularly, in fact. Or maybe the reporter was aware but unable to resist a well-worn swipe at 'Her'. After all, it is clearly 'Her' fault - we are not to blame! It's a common theme and one can be pretty sure that this headline was fished from media's tattered archive of '101 Headlines To Use In The Event of a Natural Disaster : Section II – When Things Get Nasty.' Similar headlines were plastered across news pieces after the Queensland floods and New Zealand earthquake. The point here is absolutely not to undermine the extent of the tragic crises faced in all circumstances. Nor to diminish the sorrow and heartbreak shared for the huge loss of life and livelihoods. But, it is a respectful and oft-repeated plea for media to put perspective and responsibility into their reporting. And to consider whether a 180-degree finger-pointing rotation is more justified. I have a sneaking suspicion that in 'Nature's News'- published in a language which we have clearly forgotten how to read - 'She' as long-standing Chief Editor has been running with a similar headline for some time now: "Humans Relentless in Their Cruelty". Maybe 'She' interchanges "Cruelty" with "Ignorance" or "Destructive Habits", you know, to mix it up a bit for those plants and animals out there seeking some variety. We hope that 'Her' readers are more discerning: knowing that not all Humans fit that category - and to be thankful for those that show their enduring respect and compassion for all life.
This newsletter features: Stories of sacred sites scarred in Nigeria; EarthCollective celebrations; and new CVNI directions. And of course the usual roundup of Living Lands activities and PRESENCE in the Baviaanskloof with news on the green micro grants, water for food & ecosystems, wildlife research, student workshops, sneak peaks of who's who in the Learning Village and reflections on the recent field education weekend for the Baviaanskloof Nature Awareness Group.
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Feature Story
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Sacred to Sacrilege: Oil Smears Gods but Awakens Youth
NIGER DELTA: Oil spillages into the sacred Boupere Lake on the Niger Delta have outraged resident communities. The events signal an urgent need for cultural and spiritual values to be integrated and accounted for in conservation planning and corporate responsibility. On the positive side, this event has reawakened the interest of local youth. As future custodians, they are forming a committed advocacy group aimed at saving the region's sacred sites.
LEARN MORE... |
Collective News
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Earth Collective
And then it was five!
Since the last Seasonal Supplement, a special occasion transpired for the EarthCollective Network. On the 8th February, we celebrated our 5th Anniversary! We are definitely proud to have reached this milestone… and something worth reflecting upon.
So that is what we did. We asked the individuals who were first involved in birthing the EarthCollective 'idea' in 2006 to share their reflections about the journey travelled or whatever else they felt they wanted to express at this time….five years later. A new-look website also accompanied the anniversary - it will be 'tweaked' over the coming weeks.
But the bigger celebration in February was reserved for Dieter and Silvia. As two of EarthCollective's founding members (and now with Living Lands), they 'tied the knot' with a splendid celebration of their love (see Fotos from the Field below).
Learn More...
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Cultural Values of nature (cvni)
CVNI grows an advisory arm
After five years of practice and expertise with applied research and advising on cultural matters in conservation programmes, CVNI was faced with the challenge of how to evolve beyond its long-standing role as a thematic-based EarthCollective initiative. A decision has thus been taken to establish 'CVNI Expertise and Consultancies'.
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CVNI – E&C" complements CVNI's ongoing thematic programme which focuses on sacred natural sites and policy and management in several project areas. With CVNI – E&C being set up legally as a company in The Netherlands, this increases its capacity to take on specific advisory and research work that may be related to its overall mission but generally occurs in addition to its core programme.
Learn More...
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From The South
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PRESENCE IN THE BAVIAANSKLOOF
A New Year, A New Plan
With a new year already well underway, new plans and new challenges are afoot. 2011 marks the final (funding) year of the Water for Food & Ecosystems (WFE) programme in the Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve. With that comes the need for a finalisation work plan. This year, WFE will encompass much of what the previous two years work has entailed, consisting of activities such as: restoration, implementation of measures, monitoring, research, stakeholder engagement and project coordination. However, this year's focus will take a step further toward implementation of PES (Payments for Ecosystem Services) in the western Baviaanskloof. It looks to be an eventful year for WFE and we believe that the project will be able to accomplish all it has set out to achieve.
Contact WFE Coordinator:
Marijn Zwinkels marijn@earthcollective.net
+27 (0) 42 283 0242
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WIldlife Research
Rufford supports BNR Wildlife
The Rufford Small Grants Foundation has awarded funding to a new Living Lands initiative. The collaborative project aims to carry out wildlife habitat assessment in the World Heritage Listed Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve.
After a consultation process with Reserve management board (i.e. Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency), project coordinator Silvia Weel has defined a research strategy to meet management requests. With ECPTA support, the plan is to collect and analyse data on black rhino, cape mountain zebra and buffalo. …
Learn More...
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TABLE MOUNTAIN FUND
Green Micro Grants Update
The first round of the TMF-supported Baviaanskloof Green Fund Micro Grants application deliberations took place in January. Six applications were approved for funding and are currently being rolled-out.
We would like to warmly congratulate the following list of first round grant recipients:
1. Spekboom Planting:
Johanna Swartz
2. Sewefontein Tourism:
Patrick Ruiters
3. Baviaans Craft Shop:
Veronica Maganie
4. Camera Hiking Trail:
Willlem Maganie
5. Clean and Clear (Wattle):
Jeremia Juba
6. "Wattle it Be":
Jacob Julius Bees
The deadline for the second round of application submissions is 31st March 2011. |
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PRESENCE STUDENT WORKSHOP
Filling the transdisciplinary gap
The second PRESENCE Student Workshop took place in Patensie at the Learning Village from the 1st to 3rd February 2011. The workshop was structured to encourage knowledge sharing and to take a closer look at restoration research in the Baviaanskloof/ Kouga /Kromme region. A group of South African and international postgraduate students attended. The diversity of the participants created a dynamic sharing and learning atmosphere that enabled all to thoroughly engage and enjoy…
Learn more...
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NATURE AWARENESS WORKSHOP
Somewhere under the rainbow
An experiential training workshop was run for members of the Baviaanskloof Nature Awareness Group between 4th-7th March. The purpose of the workshop was to give these young adults the opportunity learn more about 'their' nature... and to boost confidence in being able to share their existing passion and newfound knowledge with school children and community.
The weekend was filled with a variety of practical nature-based learning activities. Again, this fun group showed they have something special about them because – for the third time in a row – the weather gods were not only kind…but turned on a show...
LEARN MORE...
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BAVIAANS CRAFT SHOP OPENING
Creative addition to 'kloof
Another beautiful summer's day in the western Baviaanskloof provided the perfect backdrop for the official opening of the Baviaans Craft Shop. Living Lands was there to show support for Veronica Maganies, who was a recipient of a Baviaanskloof Green Fund Micro Grant (made possible by TMF, WWF and CI) for a solar pump for the 'living roof' of the craft shop. Attendees enjoyed the opening ceremony with a program showcasing the many talents the people of the Baviaanskloof have to share: drama, singing and of course the creative crafters whose goods are now on sale.
The Baviaans Craft Shop is a great addition to the landscape and is sure to be a success!
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9 Questions in 99 Seconds
(With Students Based At The PRESENCE LEARNING Village) |
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JULIA GLENDAY
Family? "Mother, father, brother, sister"
Food? "Papaya"
Fears? "Pollution"
Free-Time? "Swimming"
Fitness? "Dancing"
Favourites? "Also dancing!"
Facebook? "Timewarp"
Future? "Bright"
Fieldwork? "Looking at the river flow, groundwater and soil moisture under different restoration scenarios for the Baviaans wetlands and channels.
(Julia is a South African PhD student also working part-time for Living Lands)
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JORDY STOKHOF DE JONG
Family? "Small family – father, mother and little brother of 20."
Food? "Almost like anything. I even eat insects. So bring it on. Just try it!"
Fears? "Afraid of heights. That's why no bungee for me."
Free-Time? "I don't have much (laughs). When I do, I read, paint, relax… "
Fitness? "Although I don't do much sports, I like to play soccer - it's fun."
Favourites? "Just doing relaxed things"
Facebook? "Yeah, I have a page but I don't update so often"
Future? "I don't know what the future brings-hopefully be a great landscape architect someday"
Fieldwork? "Developing a landscape plan with analysis for the western Baviaanskloof. Looking at how different social-ecological aspects can be combined (spatially)." |
VANESSA SHEEHAN
Family? "Um. My little sister"
Food? "Ooh…English roast dinner. And pap!"
Fears? "The dark"
Free-Time? "Painting"
Fitness? "Bicycle…I like cycling"
Favourites? "Rose"
Facebook? "Aah, all the time!"
Future?"Wedding planner & bees (keeping)"
Fieldwork? "Empathetic dialogue with farmers [from the eastern section of the Baviaanskloof Mega-Reserve] towards a sustainable future which includes attitudes towards stewardship and other landscape initiatives." |
creative corner
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Poetry Piece
My monkey mind is naughty
Naughty as can be
It swings around from branch to branch
And just won't let me be!
It pokes and pulls and teases
And jumps just like a flea
Why won't it let me sit in peace
Underneath this tree?
My monkey mind swings to the past
The future it wants to see
But my monkey mind is naughty
'Cos the present is where I want to be!
"MONKEY MIND"
- BY MEGAN NOWELL
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quotes of the quarter
"It is amazing how much people can get done if they do not worry about who gets the credit."
- SANDRA SWINNEY
"To the man who only has a hammer in the toolkit, every problem looks like a nail."
- ABRAHAM MASLOW
"The greatest discovery of any generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude."
- WILLIAM JAMES
"One touch of nature makes the whole world kin"
- WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
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Recommended Reading
"Mind the Gap: why do people act
environmentally and what are the barriers to pro-environmental behavior?"
by Kollmuss & Agyeman, 2002.
The article is almost a decade old but its relevance has certainly not been picked up by the mainstream (usual story). The authors review the most influential of the hundreds of studies which have been carried out with the aim of unwrapping the pertinent question: why do we act the way we do toward the environment?
Click here for the article…
Also check out Bas Verschuuren's (CVNI) co-authoring on
Bio-enterprises and well-being.
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News In A Nutshell
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SPEKBOOM ON CLIMATE MAP
Leading Dutch newspaper Trouw.nl has produced an international 'Climate Map' showcasing initiatives around the world which are doing their bit to mitigate climate change. We were grateful to learn that spekboom restoration efforts in the Baviaanskloof have earned a listing.
Click here to view.
(Related article in Dutch)
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EYES4EARTH ON FACEBOOK
eyes4earth.org has taken another step into the social media domain with the launch of a dedicated eyes4earth Facebook page. The move was made in order to enhance outreach and accessibility of the research which is being carried out within the initiative. The Facebook page will feature news, weblog posts and other lekker snippets.
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OPTIONS FOR MOOREA'S MPA
In his capacity as EarthCollective member, Mahe Charles recently completed an extensive study on options for sustainable financing of Moorea's marine protected areas (French Polynesia). The assignment was carried out for the Coral Reef Initiatives for the Pacific. A summary of outcomes from this French language report will be provided in next issue.
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ELEMENTAL EQUITY
Elemental Equity is in full swing and already giving people and companies a warm fuzzy feeling the world over. Elemental Equity gives you the opportunity to invest in nature and a greener future at the click of a button.
Donors have the options of investing in the five elements: Air, Water, Earth, Fire & People. So what are you waiting for?
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INITIATIVES
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PRESENCE
PRESENCE functions as a collaborative platform to guide the restoration and conservation of 'living landscapes'. The PRESENCE learning network is coordinated by Living Lands - a South African foundation based at the Learning Village (Kouga Dam) with a vision of: "collaborations working on living landscapes."
NEW WEBSITE NOW ONLINE!:
livinglandscapes.co.za
Email:
dieter@
earthcollective.net
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eyes4earth
eyes4earth.org is a research & education
initiative for reconnecting with nature through meaningful experience. eyes4earth combines social marketing media to stimulate awareness and changes in perceptions, attitudes and behaviour.
Website:
eyes4earth.org
Email:
matt@earthcollective.net
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cvni
The Cultural Values & Nature Initiative or "CVNI" is an action research project which
aims to elicit cultural and spiritual perceptions
of nature and the environment and integrate them into ecosystem management,
nature conservation and policy.
Website:
culturalvalues.org
Email:
bas@earthcollective.net
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elemental equity
Elemental Equity is an investment in your future. This ‘natural capital’ fund encourages individuals and businesses to help secure cultural and environmental heritage by investing in nature.
Website:
elementalequity.org
Email:
giving@
livinglandscapes.co.za
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Positive ideas. happening.
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EarthCollective's vision statement is: to act as a catalyst for creating, enabling and facilitating initiatives that restore links between nature and human wellbeing. And simply to get positive ideas happening. The EarthCollective network is institutionally affiliated with the Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) in The Netherlands and with Living Lands in South Africa.
EarthCollective's Seasonal Supplement Newsletter is published four times per year on a seasonal basis. Your inclusion on this mailing list is either because you are associated with EarthCollective activities, have previously expressed interest in our work, or you know someone in the EarthCollective network. However, should you no longer wish to receive this newsletter or related updates, click on 'unsubscribe' below or email: 'unsubscribe newsletter' to: info@earthcollective.net. Any other feedback, comments, ideas for future news stories or newsletter subscriptions can also be mailed to: info@earthcollective.net
Seasonal Supplement Editor: Matthew Zylstra
Seasonal Supplement Designer: Andrew Zylstra
Seasonal Supplement Contributors: Olalekan Adekola, Jennifer Foley, Pearl Mzobe , Breanne Robb, Bas Verschuuren, Silvia Weel, Marijn Zwinkels, Matthew Zylstra.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions:
Email: info@earthcollective.net
Phone: +27 (0) 83 48 28 033
Post: PO Box 570, 6700 AN Wageningen, The Netherlands
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