Funded project quick information

• GEF SGP Project number : SAF/SGP/OP4/RAF/09/03
• Grantee: KwaNibela Community Trust
• Location: KwaNibela, Southern Maputaland, KwaZulu Natal Province, South Africa
• Contact person:
  
  • Andries Botes
    Tel: +27824983321
    E-mail: tnabotes@absamail.co.za
• Grant : USD$50 000
• Project funded by : The GEF Small Grants Programme
• Key project partner: The 3 Busheketeers Nursery

Introduction and background

The KwaNibela Community Sand Reforestation Project was implemented in the KwaNibela Community, with the Maputaland area in KwaZulu Natal, which one of the biodiversity hotspot in South Africa. The KwaNibela Community Trust is the voice of the indigenous people in KwaNibela and it serves to protect the Nibela Forest biodiversity and the interest of the community. The KwaNibela Peninsula is situated in the northern parts of the Isimangasliso (St Lucia) Wetlands Park, which is a World Heritage Site under RAMSAR Convention.  The aim of the KwaNibela Reforestation Project was to initiate a social forestry project and to incentivise the local community. The planted trees (in the forest) would then be sold to different entities as a form of carbon offsetting mechanisms, with the income being reinvested to the community and planting of more trees.

Key outputs

• Provide training and capacity building to the KwaNibela community on the importance of biodiversity and propagation of indigenous species as well as other areas such as the use of GPS

• About 33 women empowered along with their households (project also included 17 men) – 66% of the beneficiaries were women.  (Project also attracted participation by children and youth in the families of the beneficiaries).
• Contribution to the conservation of the biodiversity within the World Heritage Site

• Propagation of indigenous plants  ( Over 2500 endemic trees) and  fuel wood trees  (more than 10 species planed)

• Contribution to the improvement of livelihoods to the project beneficiaries through income earned as incentives for planting and taking care of the plants. The community valued the project because it brought hope and little income that allowed them to make ends meet.

• 500 fuel wood  trees planted near the homesteads of the project beneficiaries
• Removal of alien invasive species such as Lantana Camara
• Creation of a sustainability plan involving the sales of planted trees to organizations and individuals who seeks to offset their carbon footprint.

• Environmental education and support to the primary local school through planting of trees and contribution to the establishment of the Kitchen and library materials
•  Promotion of social cohesion , co-ownership and willingness to conserve the natural resources
• Establishment of www.greenfeettree.co.za   website with full information on the species as well as the GPS coordinates – in order to enhance the sustainability plan. Through the Greenfeettree  initiative, the trust is now partnering with a Nertherlnds institution to raise more funds through the Adopt a tree programme in order to support the local primary school,  (see http://adoptatreeadopteereenboom.blogspot.com/  to find updated information on this partnership programme)

Key lessons

• Project also involved participation by other family members including children, thereby building their capacity and responsibility on environmental management. Community participation in all stages of the project was key to the success of the project.
• The project model was participatory and innovative in that it involved project beneficiaries in plant propagation at their own homes (home based nursery) with more financial incentives going to those who had more plants.

• These home–based nurseries ensured ownership by the main beneficiary as well as other family members, in that way they were able to take care of the plants knowing that they will generate some income. Similarly when planting the established seedlings in the forest (after being hardened of at a partnering commercial nursery), each beneficiary had planted their own trees with the trees located using GPS. Each member to care of own trees ensuring survival rate.
• While the project had a good sustainability plan, there project had challenges institutions to invest in the program after the initial project support by GEF SGP was finished.