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&nbs p; Date: 01/09/2005
Source: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Title: van Schalkwyk: Opening of Rufford Maurice Laing Centre for Biodiversity Conservation at Kirstenbosch


Speech by Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Minister of Environmental Affairs & Tourism, officially opening the new Rufford Maurice Laing Centre for Biodiversity Conservation at Kirstenbosch

CONSERVATION COVENANT WITH THE FUTURE: MINISTER SEALS BIODIVERSITY TIME CAPSULE

Introduction

It is believed that about 440 million years ago the first wave of land-based life rippled across the surface of our world. From fungi to insects to the ancestors of the large vertebrates, this explosion of biodiversity brought to our planet the prehistoric blueprint for modernity. Some 65 million years ago that blueprint was left in tatters by a global extinction that wiped out an estimated two thirds of all terrestrial species. It took another 10 million years for our world to recover.

The terrible irony however is that biodiversity is once again in great danger. Over the past thousand years at least one tenth of all known bird species have become extinct. Experts have projected that, with the likely destruction in the 21st Century of more than 95% of tropical forests, two out of every three terrestrial species that exist now may die out, or be reduced to populations too small to ensure their long-term survival. Changes in biodiversity due to human activities were more rapid in the past 50 years than at any time in history, over the last 100 years, human-caused species extinction has multiplied as much as 1000 times.

Renowned conservationist Professor Peter Raven, whom we are honoured to have with us as our guest here tonight, has said: "For every kind of organism that we lose because of our indifference or lack of attention, we deny to our children the ability to enrich and improve their lives by using those organisms as elements in their management of the global ecosystem."

In South Africa we are blessed by an unmatched trove of natural treasures. Although we represent only 2% of the Earth's land surface we are home to more than 7.5% of the world's vascular plants with an average of nearly 60 entirely new species discovered every year. Our Southern African region has almost doubled the number of plant species per square kilometre of Brazil and Asia. This abundance and diversity carries with it a critical duty of care. We have the responsibility to ensure that our country becomes and remains a living ark.

Our communities must stand as the custodians of conservation and the guarantors of biological diversity. South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) First Anniversary, Partnerships, and R12m New Building

Today is the anniversary of a milestone in addressing that responsibility. Exactly one year ago President Mbeki signed into force the Biodiversity Act and established the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). As we come together this evening I can think of no birthday gift more appropriate for this institution than the opening of this R12 million new building at Kirstenbosch.

SANBI is charged with driving an ever-widening research agenda; giving effect to our responsibilities in terms of international agreements like the Convention on Biological Diversity; and monitoring everything from the dynamics of ecosystems to global climate change and desertification. Such a wide mandate cannot easily be delivered by a single institution, even one as effective as SANBI. It was for this reason that the Board of SANBI, under the leadership of Ms Bongiwe Njobe, adopted a managed network business model.

Simply put, this is a network of partners sharing a common goal. From as early as 1913, at the founding of Kirstenbosch, an alliance was established with the SA Botanical Society. Today SANBI has formal agreements with more than a dozen national and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) representing thousands of the most talented and dedicated environmentalists and experts across the globe.

Tonight we celebrate an important new resource for this network. Through the tremendous generosity of the UK-based Rufford Maurice Laing Foundation this state-of-the-art building has been constructed to serve as a home to the many NGOs and conservation partners based here at Kirstenbosch, including amongst others, Conservation International, the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, Global Invasive Species Programme, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), TRAFFIC, the World Wide Fund for Nature, and the Botanical Society of South Africa. I understand that the one million Pound grant awarded to SANBI for this project was the largest ever by the Foundation, and was approved on the basis of the wide reach and impact that the network of partners based here have already achieved.

These initiatives, driven by young and enthusiastic teams who administer programmes worth more than R20 million per year, provide our national, provincial and local governments with invaluable decision support services, resources and advice. I would like to take this opportunity to thank and commend them all for the excellent quality and relevance of the research undertaken on our collective behalf. This evening we are further unlocking their talents by placing them in this inspiring building, physically twinning them with a research force in Biodiversity Science, second to none in Africa or the Southern Hemisphere.

R7m New Grant for Succulent Karoo Ecosystem Programme

Also sharing the building will be the coordination teams for the Cape Action for People and the Environment Programme (CAPE), and the Succulent Karoo Ecosystem Programme (SKEP). It is my further pleasure tonight to announce a generous new contribution to the Succulent Karoo Ecosystem Programme, R7 million from the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund to support its activities for another three years. Our thanks must also be expressed to Jorgen Thompson, the CEO of the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund who is also with us here tonight.

Biodiversity Time Capsule and Challenge

Many here tonight will be aware that our fynbos and succulent Karoo biomes remain amongst the most severely threatened in the world, especially by the impacts of global climate change. Our Government is actively engaged in discussions with the G8 and our partners in New Partnership for Africa

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