Conservancies – Grass Roots of the Magaliesberg Biosphere

Vincent Carruthers

Conservancies are the most important part of the Magaliesberg Biosphere. They are voluntary associations of neighboring landowners who cooperate with each other to conserve their environment while at the same time living economically active lives.

Biosphere reserves have three parts, the core, the buffer and the transitional zone. The core area – in our case the Magaliesberg Protected Environment, the so-called “green line” – Is protected by law and the transitional zones on the outside have no restrictions, but the buffer zones between them are where the success or failure of the Biosphere is determined.

In the Magaliesberg Biosphere the buffer zones are almost entirely made up of conservancies. They represent areas where cooperation, sustainable development and conservation are part of everyday practice.

This is the fundamental purpose of a biosphere – a place where ordinary people live and work and prosper, all within the limits of the available natural resources.

Conservancy activities in the Magaliesberg include sponsoring rural schools and environmental education programmes, weekly markets, monitoring water quality, clean-up campaigns, removing snares, clearing invasive alien plants and activities specifically for children.

Those and many other activities are examples of the practical outcomes of landowners and residents cooperating with one another.

The eleven conservancies forming the buffer zone are:

Buffelspoort Valley – Hartebeestfontein – Ifafi/Meerhof – Magaliesberg Valley – Peglarae – Rhenosterspruit Nature – Vulture Valley – Xanadu Eco Park – Bokfontein – Magalies – Francolin – Plus 2 new ones pending.

To learn more about the conservancies, their programmes and outreach initiatives, contact John Wesson at jwesson@wessanorth.co.za

Article by: Vincent Carruthers