Bitou finally appoints Environmental Management Officer
Plett Environmental Forum is pleased to welcome Anje Taljaard in her new position as Environmental Management Officer in the Economic Development and Planning Department of Bitou Municipality.
The Forum has for years campaigned for such a person be appointed, and we are delighted that it has finally happened. Taljaard is well qualified for the position and should be of great assistance to the Bitou community in helping us cope with concerns around local ecological and conservation matters.
She has a BSc degree from the University of Pretoria with further qualifications in Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) from Stellenbosch University and Invasive Species Training through the South African Green Industries Council.
Taljaard is also experienced through her work as an environmental consultant in the Garden Route for the past five years, dealing extensively with environmental impact assessments, the creation of sound environmental management plans, alien invasive control, and environmental compliance monitoring.
Having started in the new position on November 1 last year, her duties are quite comprehensive as far as the public is concerned, the main ones are:
• To plan, develop, and control environmental management and conservation of the natural environment in Bitou.
• To manage environmental approval, authorisation processes and applications for human settlement, bulk infrastructure and other municipal development projects.
• To help with awareness and educational programmes on environmental management among the community.
Contact Anje Taljaard on 044 501 3318 or email ataljaard@plett.gov.za with queries.
• Basil van Rooyen is co-chair of the Plett Environmental Forum.
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