Business plan – 2007/2008

Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve Association
Business plan – 2007/2008

Index

Introduction

Constitutional Objectives

Conservation Principles

Portfolios

1. Membership
2. Guiding
3. Management & maintenance of reserve
4. Publicity & public relations
5. Legal and liaison with other parties
6. Land matters
7. Fund raising
8. Environmental management
9. Working group(s) (Birds, mammals, plants, reptiles, insects, etc.)
10. Education

Introduction

The 2007/2008 business plan follows and builds on previous business plans. The lessons that were learnt and the shortcomings of the previous plans have been taken into consideration and have been incorporated into the new plan. These include:

1.	Recognition that the KNRA has limited resources. Future plans need to take this factor into account. Plans must be achievable in order to maintain credibility and to keep members of the executive committee motivated.
2.	Recognition that the members of the executive committee cannot, on their own, achieve the desired objectives. Members have to be involved by way of “friends” or “working” groups so that the scope of the business plans can be extended and so that more satisfactory results achieved.
3.	Expending limited resources on one-off projects instead of concentrating on the core functions of the association which are encompassed in the portfolios as set out below.

It is recognised that a new executive committee and that new office bearers are elected every year and that future elected members cannot be committed to a 3 or 5 year plan. When formulating business plans, it is however necessary to consider the future. A 3-year view has therefore again been taken in arriving at the 2007/2008 business plan.

The plan consists of a description and the details of the portfolios and the projects that are considered necessary in order to achieve the desired objectives. These are set out in sections D and E.

Persons involved in implementation of the plan should bear in mind that any intellectual property arising from their work in carrying out the plan vests in the KNRA and not in the individuals undertaking the various tasks.

Constitutional Objectives

In formulating the business plan, the constitutional objectives of the KNRA need to be borne in mind and, to this end, are listed below.

1.	To represent the views of its members
2.	To render assistance to and to advise the Metropolitan Council of Johannesburg and any other relevant government department on the establishment, layout, development, maintenance, improvement, protection and utilisation of the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve and any surrounding areas that could influence the ecological and economic viability of the Reserve.
3.	To keep elected members and officials of the Metropolitan Council of Johannesburg and any other relevant government department informed of the current as well as long term importance of the Reserve, to promote its viability and the cause for its conservation and to keep the public informed of the status of the Reserve.
4.	To mobilise public support for the conservation and development of the Reserve.
5.	To guard against and oppose inappropriate development in and around the Reserve
6.	To encourage the conservation and (appropriate) reintroduction of indigenous vegetation, bird, mammal, amphibian and reptile life.
7.	To encourage the preservation of structures of historical, geological and archaeological interest.
8.	To promote and assist in the compiling of records and brochures on the presence of fauna, flora and other items of interest.
9.	To enter into fundraising contracts.
10.	To liaise with other like minded associations for the common good of conservation.
11.	To hold general public meetings to encourage the awareness of conservation.
12.	To do anything ancillary to the aims and objectives.

Conservation Principles

The KNRA is committed to upholding its conservation principles as set out below. These have been borne in mind in the formulation of the business plan. The principles must also be considered in implementing the plan.

1.	Environmental impact assessments (EIA)
	No activity of whatever nature will be undertaken in the reserve until such time as an EIA has been undertaken. The EIA shall be undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) and its regulations as well as with the guidelines set out by the provincial and national environmental authorities. The requirements of other relevant legislation e.g. National Heritage Resources Act 25 of 1999, shall also be taken into account. EIA’s shall be fully transparent and shall include participation by other stakeholder groups and interested and affected parties.
2.	The precautionary principle
	Until such time as an EIA has indicated the contrary, the most adverse impact on the environment of any activity in the reserve shall be anticipated. The precautionary approach to all activities shall therefore be adopted.
3.	Code of practice (COP)
	All approved activities that are undertaken in the reserve shall comply with the written COP that is to be formulated and committed to writing. The COP will set out the responsibilities of the person in charge of any activity which takes place in the reserve, the necessary procedures and communication that will be required and any mitigating or emergency measures that may be needed.

Portfolios

D.1. Membership

Background
The KNRA needs a substantial membership in order for the association to demonstrate its support to the various authorities and to the business community. Members are also needed to assist with the functioning of the association. For membership to grow and to be kept motivated, members need to be kept informed and to be involved in activities of the KNRA.

Plan Convener

1.	Increase membership to 1 000 by the end of 2008	Sue Thiele
2.	Draw up a program of events for the ensuing year by November of each year. Programme to include the usual guided walks, special guided walks including Spring and Autumn walks, talks by experts, clean ups of the reserve, snare hunts, working parties and other functions	Sue Thiele
3.	Organise each event timeously, arrange for the necessary publicity and for refreshments where required	Sue Thiele
4.	Motivate publicity portfolio to keep members informed by way of regular newsletters.	Sue Thiele
5.	Arrange advertisements for guided walks in the Southern Courier and/or other news media.	Sue Thiele
6.	Maintain a database of members.	Clem Kourie
7.	Maintain a duplicate database of members to be used for circulars to members and more particularly, as a back-up.	Sue Thiele
8.	Circularise members with a view to:· Updating contact details· Ascertaining which members are willing to participate in activities stemming from the business plan. Maintain a database of such members.	Sue Thiele

D.2. Guiding

Background
Over the years, the most important activity of the KNRA, has been providing guided walks for the public. This continues to be the case. There is no better way for the association to promote itself and to improve its standing and credibility than by providing a professional guiding service. Guiding needs to be expanded and made more professional.

Plan Conveners

1.	Recruit new guides. At least 12 well-trained and active guides are required	Tony Ferguson
2.	Draw up a training program for new guides and provide additional training for existing guides. Invite other interest parties to participate e.g. KNR Mounted Rangers and Christine Loukakis’ horse riding associates.	Tony Ferguson & Noel Thornton
3.	Arrange for at least 2 meetings of guides for each year in order to keep guides informed of developments in the reserve and in the association and to keep them motivated.	Tony Ferguson & Noel Thornton
4.	Draw up a guiding roster for the ensuing year by November of each year and distribute to guides.	Tony Ferguson
5.	Review the guiding manual and improve it where necessary	Noel Thornton
6.	Provide for guides to be available for “special request” walks e.g. garden clubs, school groups, church groups and clubs.	Tony Ferguson
7.	Report back on condition and status of trails and recommend new trails or changes to trails	Tony Ferguson
8.	Review guides for Spring and Autumn walks in order to introduce new knowledge and ideas. Include a cultural walk on the agenda and ensure Reuben Huma is given adequate advance notice in order for him to prepare adequately.	Tony Ferguson
9.	Liaise with guides from other reserves. Consider joint training and exchanges of ideas.	Tony Ferguson

D.3. Management and Maintenance of the reserve

Background
Item 2 of the constitutional objectives of the KNRA requires that the association “render assistance to and advise the Metropolitan Council of Johannesburg and any other relevant government department on the establishment, layout, development, maintenance, improvement, protection and utilisation of the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve and any surrounding areas that could influence the ecological and economic viability of the Reserve. The duty of the management and maintenance portfolio would be to ensure that the KNRA complies with this requirement.

Plan Conveners

1.	Meet regularly with JCP	Noel Thornton & Clem Kourie
2.	Ensure that trails are always cut even if the task needs to be carried out using KNRA resources and facilities.	Noel Thornton & Clem Kourie
3.	Arrange for the manufacture of concrete trail markers and the placing thereof on the trails. Decide on colour coding and arrange for the markers to be painted accordingly.	Noel Thornton & Clem Kourie
4.	Attempt to influence council so that other essential functions are attended to e.g. fire breaks, trail maintenance, removal of alien vegetation, refuse removal, safety, security, cleaning of toilets, etc.	Noel Thornton & Clem Kourie
5.	Attempt to influence the JCP budget with regard to items such as fencing, signage, provision of water and toilet facilities, trail maintenance, removal of alien vegetation, etc.	Noel Thornton & Clem Kourie
6.	Lobby JCP for the cutting of a track around the inside perimeter of the reserve.	Noel Thornton & Clem Kourie
7.	Arrange for a clean-up of the stream at the end of the rainy season.	Noel Thornton & Clem Kourie

D.4. Publicity & Public Relations

Background
Serious consideration needs to be given to publicity and public relations if the KNRA is to flourish and grow. The domain is vast and care needs to be taken to ensure that both scarce resources by way of effort and funds are expended economically. Publicity and public relations need to be undertaken with specific objectives in mind. Advertisements and editorials must be directed towards achieving specific goals.

Plan Convener

1.	Newsletters to be distributed at least 4 times annually		Noel Thornton
2.	A KNRA website is a publicity and public relations opportunity for the KNRA that must be taken advantage of:		Philip Tarboton
	·	Maintain and improve the www.knra.co.za website.
	·	Ensure that all the necessary materials are published on the website e.g. newsletters, calendar of events, maps of the reserve, pamphlet of the reserve, membership applications forms, species lists, write ups on items of specific interest such as archaeology, history, geology, etc
	·	Ensure photographs are available for publishing on the site
	·	Ensure that information on the site is kept up to date.
3.	All functions and events to be effectively advertised using available resources such as newspapers, radio stations and the web site.		Noel Thornton
4.	Regular editorials to be inserted in relevant newspapers		Noel Thornton
5.	Further maps of the reserve to be developed.		Philip Tarboton
6.	A booklet on the reserve (approximately 20 pages) to be written and published		Noel Thornton
7.	Sponsors to be found for newsletters, brochures and other publicity material.		Greg Martin
8.	Arrange sponsor awards such as certificates and bookmarks.		Philip Tarboton
9.	Photographs to be collected for publicity, advertising and website purposes.		Philip Tarboton

D.5. Legal & L iaison with other parties

Background
The KNRA has a need for legal skills in order to keep in touch with legislation affecting the environment and the reserve in particular, for purposes of drafting and reviewing legal agreements, for dealing with legal matters affecting development around the reserve and to ensure that the association complies with all the relevant legislation affecting its constitutionality, governance, compliance with law and its rights in accordance with legislation.

Plan Convener

1.	Keep abreast of existing and newly promulgated environmental legislation and in particular with legislation affecting the rights of interested and affected persons.	Clem Kourie
2.	Keep abreast of municipal legislation insofar as this might affect the reserve or the KNRA	Clem Kourie
3.	Review all agreements and other legal documents that the KNRA is or may be party to.	Clem Kourie
4.	Keep the executive committee informed of its rights and duties in accordance with relevant legislation.	Clem Kourie
5.	Represent the KNRA at meetings arranged by City Council, Region 9, Tourism Board or other relevant statutory bodies.	Clem Kourie
6.	Represent the KNRA at meetings arranged by other associations such as Melville Koppies and NGOs such as SOJO which have a bearing on the activities of the KNRA	Clem Kourie

D.6. Land Matters

Background
The reserve is under constant threat from untoward developments on the borders of the reserve. Such developments detract from the natural openness of the area and spoil the outdoor experience in the reserve. Rezoning from agricultural to township poses a particular hazard. The KNRA needs to be aware of all developments so that objections to rezoning can be lodged and so that developers may be influenced to take into account the natural surroundings at the planning stages. Furthermore, the KNRA should strive to implement it land matters policy so that strategic land can be acquired and incorporated into the reserve.

Plan Convener

1.	Monitor developments around the reserve	Clem Kourie
2.	Encourage adjacent landowners to register as conservancies.	Clem Kourie
3.	Bring any proposed developments to the attention of the executive committee at the earliest possible stage.	Clem Kourie
4.	Pursue land swaps with JCP	Clem Kourie
5.	Seek funding for the acquisition of land that needs incorporating into the reserve.	Clem Kourie

D.7. Fund Raising

With rampant development taking place all around the reserve, most of which is not in keeping with the natural surroundings, the time has arrived to effectively oppose all untoward and often illegal developments around the reserve. In order to do so, it is necessary to raise sufficient funds so that legal and other professional advisors can be employed.

Plan Convener

Arrange one major fund raising function each year.

Christine Loukakis

D.8 Environmental Management

Background
As a rule, smaller conservation areas require more intensive environmental management than larger conserved areas. Changes to the environment, not obvious to the uninformed, occur over time. The changes could arise from natural or man-made causes. Examples include too frequent burning, the aloe die-off, bush encroachment, overgrazing, erosion, alien invasion and poaching of plants and animals. Moreover, rare species need to be identified and protected. JCP are not always in a position to fulfil this function neither are such events obvious to the public. The expertise available to the KNRA can make a significant contribution in bringing these to light.

Plan Convener

1.	Develop an environmental audit framework i.e. identify all possible impacts on the reserve. To be held in abeyance until a suitable convener can be found.
2.	Identify priority issues in the environmental audit framework and carry out the necessary environmental audit. A phased approach may be necessary.
3.	Establish monitoring protocols (long term and other) for issues identified in the audit.
4.	Develop an action plan to deal with problems identified.
5.	Liaise with JCP in order resolve the problems.

D.9. Working Groups

Background
It is essential that the knowledge of the natural history of the reserve, in all its aspects, be documented and that such knowledge be constantly kept up to date. This includes the flora, mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians and insects. The KNRA should serve as the main source of such knowledge as no other body or organisation is likely to undertake this function. Use should be made of the expertise within the body of members. Expert knowledge from organisations such as the universities and provincial and national conservation bodies should also be obtained.

Plan Convener

1.	Recruit volunteers to serve on the working groups in order to monitor and document species in the reserve. Use university and technicon students as well.	Philip Tarboton
2.	Species lists to be drawn up for:· Birds· Mammals, Reptiles and amphibians, Invertebrates, Trees, shrubs, forbes and grasses	Philip Tarboton
3.	An official KNRA data base of information to be maintained and to include items such as: Location, Photographs, Medicinal or other interesting properties, Presence of new trees or growth, Die offs, Aliens and exotics, Births of new animals, Game counts	Philip Tarboton
4.	Boer war history to be researched and more information to be collected with regard to, amongst others: Gun emplacements, Trenches or fortifications, Commanding officers, Troops used and where positioned	Philip Tarboton

D 10 Education

Background
Traditionally, the KNRA has not been involved to any meaningful extent in education of children, as the association has not had access to the necessary skills and expertise. It is important that the KNRA obtain the support of schools and other child-care groups. Such support will not be forthcoming unless the initiative is taken by the KNRA.

Plan Convener

1.	Obtain postal and e-mail addresses as well as the name of a contact person for all schools in the area so that schools can be:· kept informed by way of newsletters· approached for assistance in projects such as clean-ups.	Sue Thiele
2.	Liaise with schools and childcare groups to promote awareness of the reserve.	Sue Thiele
3.	Arrange for guides and for guiding of school groups.	Sue Thiele


	Association overview ____________ Become a Member of the KNRA ____________ Constitution of the KNRA ____________ Dealing with THREATS to the Nature Reserve