Palmiet River Valley Conservancy

WHO WE AREPalmiet Riverkzn Valley Conservancy is not your conventional conservancy – we do things differently. We know the natural environment continually loses out in the name of social and economic ‘development’; while the accumulated impacts are driving the environment to the point of collapse. – Lee D’Eathe This Conservancy is made up of individuals who are committed to ensure everyone’s “right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being; and to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that prevent pollution and ecological degradation; promote conservation; and secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while promoting justifiable economic and social development”. The Bill of Rights (Chapter 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa) We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. – Albert Einstein BACKGROUNDPalmiet River kzn Valley Conservancy has been formed, with the Palmiet River Watch (PRW) as an ongoing project, to address the findings of the Palmiet River Watch (PRW); which was initiated in May 2013, and focuses on observations, reporting pollution events and undertaking river health and water quality assessments. Since its inception in May 2013, the Palmiet River Watch folk have been reporting pollution and other undesirable activities; and collecting data in the Palmiet River Valley; which led to the key issues being identified. – Lee D’Eathe The information gathered by the PRW confirms the community’s claim conclusively… that: Ongoing and repeated pollution and habitat destruction has caused the aquatic creatures and plants that were in abundance a few years ago, to all but disappear. – The Palmiet River Community at large. OUR VISIONOur Vision – “One ‘Pollution Free’ Catchment in eThekwini”. The Palmiet River Valley Conservancy’s vision is to progressively realise “One ‘Pollution-Free’ Catchment (the Palmiet River Valley) in eThekwini”; within the limits of reality and the law. This will only be achieved once the root causes of environmental degradation have been acknowledged; and are addressed. OUR MISSIONThe Conservancy is intent upon ensuring that there is continual, meaningful, significant, sustainable and measurable improvement of Water quality and Stream health, as well as reductions of Environmental degradation, *violations and infractions throughout the Palmiet River Valley. *Environmental violations and infractions*. This term refers to contraventions of (serious) National legislation, and (less serious) Municipal By-laws, respectively. OUR NAMEOur name, The Palmiet River kzn Valley Conservancy (PRVC), secures a sense of place and purpose in which residents, businesses, workers and visitors develop and protect a shared vision of a ‘Pollution-Free’ environment; and feel connected, committed and ever more aware that their, and everyone else’s, activities add to, or detract from, the environment we live, work and play in.