Training Eco-Warriors in rural communities

VISION

The Endangered Wildlife Trust is dedicated to conserving threatened species and ecosystems in southern Africa to the benefit of all people.

OVERVIEW

This project enables five trained Rural Eco-Warriors to launch Sustainable Living projects in their communities around Howick, Jozini, Barberspan, Dullstroom and Memel. The EWT's Rural Eco-Warrior programme has been active in these communities for the past 3 years. The Rural Eco-Warriors are part of the EWT's Conservation Leadership Group and they are recognised as environmental role models in their communities. In 2005, the Rural Eco-Warriors completed the Rhodes University Goldfields Participatory Certificate Course in Environmental Education. They work closely with schools, local government and special interest group such as farm workers to share their knowledge and build capacity in their communities. Their Sustainable Living Project will initiate five community based projects focusing on a local environmental issue. These projects will be developed over time to be examples of sustainable resource use and to serve to raise awareness on an ongoing basis. The projects will focus on developing the knowledge and skills of school educators and community leaders who are in a position to transfer skills and knowledge to the broader community. The aim is for the projects to serve as models of what rural communities can achieve when they are capacitated with the knowledge and skills that underpin sustainable living. In the process the targeted educators and community leaders can become role models for local environmental action.

WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT THIS PROJECT

• The project is designed to deepen the Rural Eco-Warriors' standing in their communities as valuable resources of environmental knowledge and skills.
• The project enables the transfer of environmental knowledge and skills through a practical project that is based on a local environmental issue. The initiative targets key members of the community, educators and leaders who are able to transfer skills and knowledge broadly in the community.
• The project promotes the sustainable use of natural resources, creates awareness of the importance of safeguarding biodiversity and promotes community environmental action.

EXPECTED LIFE CHANGE

An investment of R53,500.00 enables the Rural Eco-Warriors to initiate five community-based projects that will transfer knowledge and skills for sustainable living.

• 5 Rural Eco-Warriors will be empowered to launch and manage Sustainable Living projects in their communities, thus enabling them to put their knowledge into action and increasing their role as environmental educators in their communities.
• Each Rural Eco-Warrior will target 50 educators and 20 leaders in their communities to be involved in the project. They will benefit from gaining the knowledge and skills required for sustainable living.
• The impact through the 250 educators will be at least 2500 children.
• There will be further indirect impact on the community at large through the community leaders.
• In time, the general environment in these communities stands to benefit from wiser land use, increased value and protection of the environment, increased awareness and responsibility for biodiversity.
• Direct life change at a cost per life of R140.85

This project has breadth, depth, intensity and permanence in that it has the potential to impact positively on the vocational, physical, economic, psychological and social aspects of the beneficiaries' lives.

NEED

Millions of rural South Africans depend on natural biodiversity resources to survive and to generate an income. However, South Africa's biodiversity is amongst the most threatened on Earth. At least a third of our biodiversity-rich ecosystems are already threatened by human activities, 40% of communal land is severely degraded and ecosystems continue to be affected by human activities. These ecosystems provide irreplaceable services - clean air and water, food, medicinal plants, building material, fuel and other basic resources that support rural livelihoods. If resources are not used sustainably, continued ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss will result in increased poverty and a downward spiral of environmental and social collapse. A recent study of 920 000 rural households found that 80% received an annual income of less than R9 000 while each directly used biodiversity resources to average value of R11 500 per year. In the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Mpumalanga the total direct use value for biodiversity resources may be more than R10 billion per annum for each, as much as 10% of the provincial GDPs. This highlights the importance of biodiversity to rural communities, and perhaps more importantly, the potential loss to the country, socially and financially, if biodiversity resources continue to be used unsustainably.

STRATEGY

One of the main reasons for ongoing biodiversity loss in rural areas is a lack of awareness and capacity at community level. Sustainable living hinges on community members, their leaders and their educators understanding the value of biodiversity and having the knowledge and skills to actively address environmental issues at a local level for the benefit of their livelihoods and their immediate environment. It is therefore crucial to educate and develop skills in rural communities on biodiversity, its value and conservation, and using the resources it provides wisely and sustainably.

The community-based project as a role-model for future action - The Sustainable Living Project aims to establish a model for environmental action within communities. The strategy includes consulting with the community to identify a local environmental issue that needs to be addressed through environmental knowledge and practical action. Local influencers such as educators and community leaders will be targeted. Through involvement in the project, they will gain environmental knowledge and education. In addition, they will have the hands-on experience of what it takes for the community to deal with a local environmental condition themselves. The Sustainable Living project aims to inspire other community action projects in the future.

ACTION PLAN

Preparation

Through consultation with community leaders and public meetings, the Rural Eco-Warriors will identify a local environmental issue in each region that is relevant to the community's needs. Once the project issues are defined, they will work with the key partners to determine the year-long project plans including defining objectives, activities, deliverables and required resources.

Implementation

Projects will be implemented according to the activities identified in each project plan. The process will be guided by principles of Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM), an approach and a process for identifying both constraints and incentives in current natural resource management practices. CBNRM aims to achieve increased sustainability and equity in natural resource management practices.

Monitoring

The project will be monitored by the Manager of the EWT's Conservation Leadership Group and the Rural Eco-Warriors Co-ordinator. Each Rural Eco-Warrior will submit monthly reports on project progress in relation to activity time frames, deliverables and budget. The Rural Eco-Warriors Co-ordinator will visit each project every second month to evaluate performance and provide assistance where needed. Bi-annual evaluations of each project will be compiled.

RISK PROFILE

Key Strengths

• Concept: The Sustainable Living Projects are deeply rooted in their communities. Each initiative is based on environmental issue relevant to the community and identified by them. The project enables environmental knowledge and skills to be transferred within the community. By targeting educators and community leaders the projects are involving key influencers who have opportunities to transfer knowledge and skills more widely. The projects are providing a model and an experience for these five communities in addressing environmental issues, thus giving them a blueprint that can use for further, future environmental action.
• Design: The implementation of the project is based on the Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) approach which is widely accepted as an effective process for identifying both constraints and incentives in current natural resource management practices. The project is well-supported by the intentions and infrastructure of both EWT.
• Capability: EWT is a well-established non profit organisation with considerable depth and expertise in its organisation. The Rural Eco Warriors have been effective in their roles as community-based environmental educators for three years.
• Control: EWT has the well-established and proven governance, administrative systems and financial controls in place that are expected of leading, accountable non profit organisation.
• Sustainability: The aim of the Sustainable Living Project is provide these five communities with a model for, and the experience of undertaking environmental action so that they have the knowledge, skills and confidence to mobilise themselves to address environmental issues in the future. The community-based projects combine the passing on of environmental knowledge and education with action.

Key Risks

• Concept: The Sustainable Living Project is a new initiative however the Rural Eco-Warriors are educated, equipped and well-supported as staff of the EWT's Conservation Leadership Group. As a pilot, the scale of the project is manageable.
• Capability: There is an inherent risk of leading people resigning and leaving the project.
• Sustainability: There are inherent risks that the Rural Eco Warriors may find it difficult to sufficiently mobilise their communities so that the activities of the project reap recognisable benefits that people want to replicate. Environmental knowledge and education does not automatically change the behaviours that degrade the environment and threaten biodiversity. The Sustainable Living Project can be seen as the establishment of a model that will need to be replicated many times in order to ensure that the value of the environment is entrenched.