Blue flags fly high in CX
REGIONAL - Plett and Knysna have been painted blue with a total of eight beaches once again being awarded Blue Flag status for the 2023/2024 season. Knysna also received two additional blue flags for the marinas on Thesen Island.
Plettenberg Bay also has the second most Blue Flag beaches, with only the much larger City of Cape Town topping Plett with eight Blue Flag beaches.
Over and above Robberg 5, The Waves, Nature's Valley, Lookout, The Dunes and Singing Kettle receiving this stamp of approval, two tourism boat operators were also given Blue Flag status – Offshore Adventures Robberg Express and Oceanic Express.
Knysna was awarded Blue Flag status for two beaches, Brenton-on-Sea and Buffalo Bay. Its marinas also shone with Thesen Island and Thesen Harbour Town each hoisting a Blue Flag – two of only four marinas that got the nod.
The Blue Flag is one of the world's most recognised voluntary eco-labels awarded to beaches, marinas and sustainable boating tourism operators.
"Each beach is measured in four categories: environmental education and awareness, water quality, environmental management and safety services," said Knysna Municipal Manager Ombali Sebola. "To qualify, a series of stringent criteria must be met and maintained. We have a dedicated internal programme to drive the requirements for the approval process and ensure the necessary standards are met. Blue Flag status is recognised by the public and they know what to expect when they visit the beaches."
In South Africa, Blue Flag has been operational since 2001 and is active in 18 coastal municipalities across the country.
The programme has been locally managed by Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (Wessa) since 2001 in partnership with the global Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and participating coastal municipalities.
Green Coast
Another feather in Bitou's cap is that it also boasts a Green Coast award for conservation efforts in Nature's Valley. The annual Green Coast Award, launched in 2017, recognises inclusive and sustainable management at less developed coastal sites with high biodiversity value. Currently Nature's Valley is one of only six Green Coast sites.
Green Coast is a platform for collaboration, innovation and local public participation in coastal management and sites must achieve a set of criteria that
are designed to ensure environmental, developmental and participatory standards.
Efforts commended
During the award ceremony held in Wilderness last week, Wessa chief executive Helena Atkinson commended the efforts made by local authorities, communities and volunteers to achieve these standards this season.
"It takes great dedication and effort to manage a beach or marina to meet the rigorous standards set out for this prestigious award, and we extend our warmest congratulations to all the deserving sites that have achieved the eco labels," Atkinson said. She added that achieving Blue Flag or a Green Coast eco label was not just a status symbol but an indication of collective effort, commitment and compliance.
"By providing ongoing education programmes and training, we are able to provide citizens the key information about beach quality management at Blue Flag or Green Coast sites. It is also a way to recognise the hard work done by municipalities in providing safe natural spaces and preserving our natural resources for future generations,” she said.