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Fresh from the press - 2022 State of Conservation Report

31 Mar 2023

CapeNature is proud to present the 2022 State of Conservation Report. This is the third State of Conservation Report to inform the periodic Western Cape State of Biodiversity Report, as mandated by the newly assented Western Cape Biodiversity Act, aimed at providing the status of indicators for assessing the global state of biodiversity.

Highlights in the report include progress made in combatting biodiversity crime, noting that during the reporting period, 89 criminal dockets were opened and 71 fines were issued. This speaks to the dedication of our staff and excellent collaborative partnerships which include SAPS, landowners and officials at ports of entry. 

Fire, while an integral component in fynbos ecological processes, is also one of the ongoing threats to biodiversity and the trend since 2016 is of a decrease in the number of hectares burnt which is indicative of a good response rate to fires. 

It was another good year for protected area expansion in the Western Cape and CapeNature once again exceeded targets for hectares declared in terms of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act as well as the number of new stewardship sites, which demonstrates CapeNature’s significant contribution to protected area expansion in South Africa.

The report can be downloaded here.

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