reponsible tourism
Ecotourism is defined by the International Ecotourism Society as:
"Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people""
Ecotourism is about connecting conservation, communities, travellers and tourism operators. This means that those who implement and participate in responsible tourism activities should adhere to the following ecotourism principles:
- Minimize impact
- Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect
- Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts
- Provide direct financial benefits for conservation
- Provide direct financial benefits and empowerment for local people
- Raise sensitivity to host countries' political, environmental, and social climate
This definition of ecotourism stands at the centre of BirdLife South Africa's role in promotingand developing avitourism in South Africa.
The Mpumalanga Birding Route is a conservation and community-orientated avitourism project which subscribes fully to the principles of responsible travel and fair trade.
conservation projects
The Mpumalanga Birding Route aims to put the establishment of community-based eco-tourism projects on the map, in order to assist with the conservation of birds and threatened grassland, wetland and forest habitats.
Southern Bald Ibis Project
The Southern Bald Ibis is a southern Africa endemic. Their status is listed as vulnerable.
Please send sighting information to Kate Henderson at ibis@birdlife.org.za or contact her on +27 (0)72 447 4485 for more information about the project.
Mabula Ground Hornbill Conservation Project
This project has been actively managing the decline of the Southern Ground Hornbill since 1999.
At present Southern Ground Hornbills are considered ‘vulnerable' but their numbers are still declining.
There are probably only 1500 birds in South Africa—half of which are in the protected areas of the Kruger National Park. Groups consist of 2—9 birds, of which there is only 1 breeding female, from which an average of only 1 chick is raised to adulthood every 9 years. Over the past 50 years Ground Hornbills have lost over 70% of their natural habitat.
The Mabula Ground Hornbill Research and Conservation Project are addressing these issues by :
- Harvesting and hand-rearing of second hatched chicks which die of starvation in the nests.
- Re-introduction and augmentation of non-viable groups in the wild.
- Provision of artificial nests for wild groups without nests.
- Research on behavior and other important unanswered questions.
- Awareness Campaigns to educate the general public to :
- The danger in which this flagship indicator species is in the Savannah biome of South Africa.
- Unintentional poisoning
- Trade in ground hornbills
- Secondary trapping and snaring
Any sightings of Ground Hornbills are very important to the project.
Email your sightings to them at project@ground-hornbill.org.za or fill in the information on their website at www.mabulagroundhornbillconservationproject.org.za
Big Birds of Kruger
Have you seen African Fish Eagle, Bateleur, Martial Eagle, Saddle-billed Stork or Ground Hornbill in the Kruger National Park? If you see these big birds or a number of others, please email sightings to stiffnecks.birdclub@gmail.com or visit www.sanparks.org/groups/birders to fill in the electronic sightings form and for more information about this project.
SANParks, in collaboration with the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and the "Stiffnecks" birdclub, are asking the public to help record bird sightings within the KNP. They have produced a number of large posters displaying photos of each bird to look out for, as well details for the submission of sighting reports.
This poster project is an exciting example of how the SANParks forum community is getting involved in conservation efforts. Jackie During, chairperson of the forum birdclub, the Stiffnecks, approached SANParks with the idea for the project as a way to involve the keen online birding community in research in the park.
With the invaluable assistance of Chris Patton and Dr Andrew Deacon from SANParks, the project was approved and soon grew into a collaborative effort with Andre Botha, manager of the Birds of Prey Working Group of the Endangered Wildlife Trust.
My Acre of Africa Trust
Nelson Mandela (Patron Emeritas) is asking individuals and organisations all over the world to join in support of My Acre of Africa - an exciting conservation and environmental education initiative that aims to secure the future of Southern Africa's wildlife and wild places for the benefit of generations to come.
For more information, visit www.myacreofafrica.org