New policy allows restricted use of wild flora in CapeNature areas

WESTERN Cape conservation entity CapeNature has completed a ground-breaking new policy that will allow for the restricted consumptive use of species of wild flora in Cape Nature-managed protected areas.

Local government Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC Anton Bredell said the rights and importance for some communities and natural resource users to have access to protected areas is addressed by the new policy.

“We want to work with these communities and others, including traditional healers who harvest from the veld to treat their people, and this is why we have devised this policy.”

CapeNature chief executive Dr Razeena Omar said the institution was proud and happy about the work that had been done.

“This policy – simply put – provides a framework which allows members of Natural Resource User Groups access to CapeNature-managed protected areas to collect and use wild plants for medicinal and cultural purposes.”

Omar said the new policy would do a lot to encourage and facilitate close co-operation and role-player participation in sustainable resource use management in the province.

CapeNature has a mandated responsibility to manage the natural resources of the Western Cape in a way that conserves and protects species, habitats and ecological processes.

In a region with unique biological diversity, the entity recognised that many local communities and individuals rely on the surrounding indigenous wild flora for traditional, cultural and medicinal purposes, forming the basis of the CapeNature Consumptive Use of Wild Flora Policy.

The organisation further recognised that the principle of consumptive use of wild flora as a biological resource from statutory protected areas is recognised by international and national legislative guidelines, as well as contained in national and local poverty alleviation and rural development targets and aims.

The policy includes key objectives linked to the sustainable and equitable utilisation of natural resources.