New BEPR coalition aims to protect critically endangered Sugarbush Ridge
It is with the hope of protecting the Ridge as well as the eagles that the Sugarbush Ridge Coalition was formed.
The Black Eagle Project Roodekrans (BEPR) has embarked on yet another ambitious project, this time forming a coalition with four other entities to protect the Sugarbush Ridge.
The Sugarbush Ridge Coalition, as it has been dubbed, is made up of the Proteadal Conservation Association (PCA), Wild Orchids Southern Africa (WOSA), BEPR, the Bankenveld Branch of the Botanical Society of SA (Botsoc), and of course the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden. For the past 80 years, this Garden has been the chosen breeding ground of a pair of Verreaux’s eagles, with the pair usually taking up a spot close to Witpoortjie Falls.
However, it is now feared that they could vacate the site in search of more fertile breeding grounds if urbanisation continues along the Ridge. It is with the hope of protecting the Ridge as well as the eagles that the Sugarbush Ridge Coalition was formed.
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The Sugarbush Ridge Ecosystem is itself listed as a critically endangered ecosystem, and is faced with certain challenges such as severe soil erosion, illegal dumping, poaching of animals and urban development, which all threaten the future of the ridge and all the fauna and flora that depend on it for survival.
To lessen the collective human footprint on the Ridge in such a highly urbanised area, residents will have to work together as a community, to make sure everyone can enjoy and appreciate such a precious natural asset without destroying it in the process.
The pressing task for the Coalition is to improve security in the focus area and to establish observation posts and patrols that will monitor activity and ensure that users of the Ridge do so in an ecologically responsible manner. The Coalition is also working with government and private landowners to secure the Ridge system as a protected environment.
But, until this happens, we need to protect the remaining integrity of the Ridge or there may be nothing left to protect. The Coalition’s ultimate vision is to create a protected natural area which is available to the local communities to enjoy sustainably as a natural urban open space of value to all.
The Coalition is running a crowdfunding campaign on Thundafund, where they are attempting to raise money for their various initiatives. If you would like to contribute, simply visit https://www.thundafund.com and go to the Coalition’s project page.
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