MAYOR’S ANNOUCEMENT
DECLARATION OF THE CAPE WINELANDS BIOSPHERE RESERVE
JANUARY 2009
It is my pleasure to announce that the Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve was formally registered by UNESCO on 18 September 2007 as part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
I wish to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to all those who participated in and contributed towards the planning and successful application process over the past almost seven years since inception of the initiative. During UNESCO’s announcement, our biosphere reserve was described as a new model for implementation of UNESCO’s global Man and the Biosphere (MaB) Program.
As illustrated by the attached map, the approved biosphere reserve covers most of the Cape Winelands and straddles the common boundaries of a number of municipalities, including Stellenbosch, Drakenstein, Breede Valley, Witzenberg and Theewaterskloof. (Overberg District Municipality)
The Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve ensures international recognition and support for the Cape Winelands as a globally-unique environment and implies significant benefits for sustainable development in the area. The vision set for the biosphere reserve by those who took part in the planning and application process is to ‘promote the development of the Cape Winelands as an area of excellence and good practice for people, culture and nature’. As such, the biosphere reserve is an exemplary pilot project of the Cape Winelands District Municipality under the National Spatial Development Perspective.
The biosphere reserve is to facilitate coherent planning and land-use management that will collectively give effect to the three global imperatives for sustainable development, promote cross-boundary co-operation and co-ordination between the relevant municipalities and other stakeholders, align existing land-use with bioregional planning and management principles, promote the comparative economic advantages of the Cape Winelands, and provide a basis for the eradication of poverty and inequality.
A Spatial Development Framework Plan is being prepared for the biosphere reserve. This important document will give statutory status to the biosphere reserve and will provide a basis for its development and long-term management. Constructive participation in the preparation of the Spatial Development Framework Plan is a key requirement and is kindly requested. Stakeholders are encouraged to forward aspects to be addressed in the Spatial Development Framework Plan to the Cape Winelands District Municipality.
In order to ensure coherent stakeholder participation in this process a Steering Committee will be created. This committee will also be the first step towards the establishment of a formal biosphere reserve management entity, which will be an autonomous body representative of all stakeholders in the area. The Cape Winelands District Municipality awaits motivated nominations for the Steering Committee.
We look forward to continuing our relationship and to forging new ones towards achieving the objectives of the Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve in a spirit of true partnership.
EXECUTIVE MAYOR
COUNCILLOR CLARENCE WILLIAM JOHNSON
CAPE WINELANDS DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY
Click here to enlarge map.