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TThe days of constructing new rubbish pits, burning recyclables and getting rid of the general mess from thousands of visitors are a thing of the past. These are just some of the big changes that have already occurred in the Augrabies Falls National Park (AFNP) since their recycling initiative has taken off.
While steps were already put in place nearly two years ago, it has only been after much education that the programme is now successfully being implemented. While the creation of five job opportunities is cause for celebration, park management is particularly pleased that they are lowering their carbon footprint.
Did You Know?
AAugrabies Falls National Park covers an area of 820 km².
“Through our recycling project we can enhance biodiversity and restrict global warming, even if this is just a small contribution,” says Frans van Rooyen, AFNP park manager.
Initially, the project started small with just the staff in the office participating. Now, it has grown to become a true team effort with everybody from the staff, to the restaurant and the shop recycling. They are now also encouraging the public to place their rubbish in the correct bins. However, getting the entire project off the ground was difficult, because people are set in their ways. People and Conservation officer Christine du Plessis said, “I am involved in creating awareness surrounding recycling amongst staff as this helps keep them involved and enthusiastic,”.
Augrabies Falls Recycling project
“We get many compliments from overseas tourists. For many of them it is already a way of life,” explains du Plessis. However, there is always room for improvement according to senior section ranger Nardus du Plessis. “We only burn non-recyclable material, but the systems can further be improved by acquiring an oven for the project. This will result in minimising pollution even further.”
One of the biggest challenges at present is funding to provide all chalets with recycling and ideally, baboon proof bins. “The project is a long-term one, so there will always be more to do,” says Van Rooyen. The People and Conservation department is currently working towards getting the local municipality, schools and surrounding commercial farmers involved with recycling. It is believed that once the staff is in the habit of recycling, they will also take their knowledge to their communities.
“We also haven’t yet measured the effects of recycling, but we know that it makes a significant difference”, says Van Rooyen. During a six-month period, almost 10 000 kg worth of waste was recycled. Glass contributed to just over 7 000kgs with cans the second biggest contributor at just over 1 100kgs. Recycled paper and plastic came to 654kgs and 893kgs respectively.
The recycling team is currently appointed through Biodiversity Social Projects, working for the Ecosystems programme with funding provided by the Department of Environmental Affairs. However, other funding options, such as EPIP’s Working on Waste Programme, which would see this project grow, and yield even greater results. Help us by disposing of your waste correctly, together we can have a lasting impact on our environment.
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