NATURE RESERVES FUTURE ASSURED

October 2022, Greater Kromme Stewardship.

Two nature reserves brought into existence by an association of environmentally-conscious wind farms now have their future assured. The final documents have been signed off by the MEC for Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism in the Eastern Cape and the reserves will remain in perpetuity to protect the unique and precious biodiversity of the Kouga district.

The Sand River Private Nature Reserve and the Kromensee Nature Reserve were established through the efforts of the Greater Kromme Stewardship, a partnership between Cennergi’s Tsitsikamma Community Wind Farm, Enel Green Power’s Gibson Bay and Oyster Bay Wind Farms, and Globeleq’s Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm, along with a local environmentalist NGO, the Kromme Enviro-Trust.

Takalani Maswime, Cennergi’s head of Corporate Social Responsibility, says, “We are very proud to play a part in protecting the threatened species of this unique area. We believe that as providers of clean energy, we should lead the way in being environmentally responsible.”

The GKS initiative is forging ahead with creating new protected areas, steered by Wentzel Coetzer of Conservation Outcomes through the necessary processes required by the Department of the Environment. Many threatened bird, animal, insect and plant species will have a more certain future because of this.

Since its inception six years ago, the Greater Kromme Stewardship initiative has been widely recognised for securing more priority land for conservation in the Kouga region than any other independent conservation body in the last fifty years. The organisation is a partnership of five local wind farms, who are its funders, and an environmentalist NGO.

Through the initiative, the wind farms are working to secure valuable biodiversity assets and resources in the broader landscape as a means of off-setting or compensating for their environmental impacts, allowing for truly just and sustainable renewable energy in the region.