US embassy cable - 04PRETORIA5285

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 005285 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR OES/ETC, OES/STC AND AF/S 
USDA FOR FOREST SERVICE/OPIERSON 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: SENV, SOCI, TBIO, KSCA, ECON, SF 
SUBJECT: South Africa establishes National Biodiversity 
Institute 
 
REF: Pretoria 2001 
 
1.  On December 2, Minister of Environmental Affairs and 
Tourism (DEAT) Marthinus Van Schalkwyk officially 
launched the South African National Biodiversity 
Institute (SANBI) at Pretoria's National Botanical 
Gardens.  The institute came into being in September 
2004, transforming from the National Botanical Institute 
(NBI) and taking on expanded responsibilities beyond the 
plant kingdom.  The change resulted from new 
environmental legislation (reftel) signed into law in 
June 2004 that established SANBI's mandate and 
responsibilities in respect to South Africa's fauna and 
flora.  Key responsibilities of the institute include 
reporting the status of biodiversity and all listed and 
protected species and ecosystems.  SANBI controls and 
maintains all eight of South Africa's botanical gardens, 
and will collect and disseminate information on 
biodiversity, as well as maintain a biodiversity 
database. 
 
National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment 
----------------------------------------- 
 
2. In his keynote address at the SANBI launch ceremony, 
Minister Van Schalkwyk told attendees that his department 
has commissioned SANBI to facilitate an ongoing "National 
Spatial Biodiversity Assessment" (NSBA).  The purpose of 
the exercise is to identify spatial biodiversity priority 
areas for conservation action.  The NBSA will contain 
marine, terrestrial, river and estuary components.  The 
products of NSBA will include reports on the status of 
the ecosystem, analysis of species of special concern, 
socio-economic opportunities and constraints on 
biodiversity.  The Minister regards the NSBA as the top 
priority for SANBI.  Initial work on the NSBA began early 
in 2004 and identified nine priority action areas.  The 
national and provincial cabinets have already approved 
the draft document of the assessment, which is likely to 
be published early in 2005.  SANBI has also established a 
biodiversity center in Pretoria, which will function as a 
global hub for biodiversity (Note: South Africa is 
considered to be one of the world's most biodiverse 
countries.  End note).  The institute will continue the 
mission of the NBI to provide environmental education to 
communities and schools, and carry out research projects 
and conservation activities. 
 
Environmental awareness, poverty relief programs for 
communities 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
------- 
 
3. Minister Van Schalkwyk also stated that plants and 
animals of Southern Africa have provided food, fuel, 
medicine and shelter to the people for many centuries, 
and because of their tremendous contributions they have 
to be continuously protected.  He said his department 
awarded R70 million or about USD 12 million (US$ = R5.70) 
to SANBI for the next three years to develop and 
implement a "Greening of the Nation Program."  The 
program aims to rehabilitate degraded land, combat air 
pollution, develop indigenous gardens in schools and 
prevent the extinction of indigenous medicinal plants and 
trees.  The greening program will be run in Gauteng, 
KwaZulu Natal, Eastern Cape and Western Cape provinces. 
SANBI will also receive R40 million to top up a R60 
million fund received in the last three years for 
upgrading botanical gardens, according to the Minister. 
The Minister pledged to continue the Poverty Relief 
Project, one of the projects inherited from NBI, which 
helped create 826 jobs and develop 58 Small, Medium, and 
Micro Enterprises (SMME) in 2003-4.  The Minister said 
that his department will inject an additional R28 million 
to the next phase of the project (2005-6).  This 
financial boost will help create 50 more jobs in the 
national gardens. 
 
SANBI Administration 
---------------------- 
 
4. SANBI is a statutory body funded by the Department of 
Environmental Affairs and Tourism and other local and 
international donors.  The chairman of the institute is 
Ms. Bongiwe Njobe, who serves as Director-General in the 
National Department of Agriculture.  SANBI has eight 
gardens in four provinces.  An official of SANBI told EST 
Assistant that discussions are underway to plan the 
establishment of another garden in the Eastern Cape. 
 
FRAZER