Partnerships

Partnerships

Across the Diamond Route and more broadly within the De Beers Family of Companies, a range of partnerships and collaborations exist. These are broadly aimed at driving positive change in environmental management and conservation as a common goal for both parties. Successful partnerships tend to create a greater impact through working together rather than individually and providing mutual benefit for both the partner organisations. The objectives of the partnerships may be for research, conservation management, education, capacity building and strategy development and review. In most cases it is a combination of these aspects. Examples are given below for projects across the Diamond Route and more broadly across the De Beers Family of Companies.

Research

There are three dedicated research centres at Venetia, Tswalu Kalahari and Benfontein with facilities for researchers. There are extensive research partnerships spanning many countries on a wide range of topics including:

Parasites – Ticks, Fleas, Internal Parasites of mammalian fauna. Plants - Mistletoes, Ecosystem change, Frithia habitat and distribution, Vegetation/plant communities, Seed collection. Terrestrial invertebrates - Honeybees, Lepidoptera, Antlions, Lacewings, Heteroptera, Darkling beetles, Dung beetles, Spiders. Reptiles - Namaqua Dwarf Adder, Chameleon reintroductions, Species inventories and habitat assessments. Freshwater and marine Fauna/Flora - Tigerfish, Alien invasive fish, Marine seabed fauna, River biodiversity assessments. Mammals - Cape hare, Springhare Coastal fauna, Cheetah, Black rhino, Aardwolf, Damaraland mole-rats, Black-footed Cats, Brown hyena, Elephants, African wild dogs, Small mammals, Black backed jackal, Bat eared fox. Birds - Damara Tern, Burchell’s and Namaqua Sandgrouse, White-backed Vulture, Birds and climate change in the Kalahari, Forest birds. Archaeology - Rock art, Iron smouldering sites, Archaeological diggings and Petroglyphs.

Conservation/Management

All research typically contributes to better conservation and management. Some specific examples include working with:

SANParks and Peace Parks, to facilitate the integration of Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve into the Mapungubwe National Park (ultimately into Transfrontier Conservation Area) and Namaqualand properties into Namaqualand National Park. The Worldwide Fund for Nature to map the key freshwater ecological networks of the Limpopo River Basin, identify threats and conservation priority areas and understand the risks to global change and other potential threats. BirdLife South Africa to develop the Important Bird Areas (IBA’s) and species conservation in South Africa and the Diamond Route through the development of the Oppenheimer Fellow of Conservation.

Education/Capacity building

Much research contributes to education and capacity building with some specific examples being:

Angolan research expeditions and training of scientists through the Angolan Biodiversity Assessment and Capacity Building Programme. Development of regional marine research expertise and creation of opportunities to develop marine researchers in southern Africa. Capacity building in the Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve developed for the broader community. Development of a partnership between the Conservation Leadership Group of the Endangered Wildlife Trust on Telperion. Development of a rural university through the Maharishi Institute to develop and train young conservationists, ecologists and zoologists from disadvantaged backgrounds on Ezemvelo Nature Reserve. Environmental education and training programmes for school groups of various ages on most properties.