European media features PRESENCE in the Baviaanskloof

Benelux (EU): Our collaborative quest for landscape restoration in the Baviaanskloof has recently received national exposure in the Dutch and Belgian media. The prime-time news, radio and press items highlighted PRESENCE activities as inspirational examples in the lead-up to the 2009 United Nations Climate Conference in Copenhagen.

The various news items focused on the potential for spekboom reforestation to capture CO2 and assist in retaining water in what has become an extremely dry and drought-affected area in recent years. English translations of the various media release headlines include: ‘Spekboom saves dry South Africa‘ and ‘An example for Copenhagen‘ . The latter refers to PRESENCE’s spekboom restoration as being an ideal CO2 sequestration project for Copenhagen inspired investment.

Living Lands and the PRESENCE network has received a lot of positive feedback since the releases and is looking forward to carrying the momentum into 2010. More spekboom planting and wetland restoration is being planned with local PRESENCE partners including Working for Water/Woodlands; Eastern Cape Parks; Gamtoos Irrigation Board; and Rhodes University. PRESENCE in the Baviaanskloof is co-funded through the Dutch Government’s Water for Food & Ecosystems Programme and Wageningen University.

Please follow the links below to NOS, VRT, Trouw & YouTube websites to view the documentary and read the full news articles:

NOS JOURNAAL: “Spekbomen planten in Zuid-Afrika” (in Dutch)

VRT News (DEREDACTIE.BE): “Een voorbeeld voor Kopenhagen” (in Flemish)

TROUW: “Spekbomen redden droog Zuid-Afrika” (in Dutch)

YOUTUBE: “A Humble Tree for Climate Change (Jeffrey Barbee’s Blog) (in English)