Sustainable Biz - Magazine - Page 13
approximately 13.45 million m3 of water
annually. As water returned to wetlands, so
did the sounds of nature, as birds, fish and
amphibians settled back in their home.
The next three-year continuation of this
initiative spans six countries and aims to
further reduce water stress and improve
biodiversity for this vital lifeline to the
continent.
Repairing catchments in Southern Africa
In Africa, the expansive Great Limpopo
River Basin supports millions of people in
Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and
Zimbabwe. In recent years, the impacts
associated with climate change, excessive
water extraction, and alien invasive plants
have degraded local catchments, causing
rapid declines in groundwater and surface
water levels.
To help, TCCF along with complementary
investments from Global Affairs Canada
is funding a Conservation International
restoration initiative in the watershed and
along the rivers for communities at the
border of South Africa and Zimbabwe in the
Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation
Area. The project is helping safeguard
biodiversity and secure water supply,
improving water governance, promoting
agroforestry and land restoration and
helping residents better prepare for droughts
through practices like climate-smart
livestock grazing.
“This investment is more than restoration—
it is a legacy of sustainability, where nature
and communities grow stronger together,”
said Tonderai Makoni, Executive Director
of the Vembe Biosphere Reserve. “The
future [being] shaped is one where harmony
between water, land and people defines our
shared success."
There’s hope in these cones
for future forests, a living
symbol of recovery after
devastating wildfires.
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