Buffelspoort Valley Conservancy

NEWS FROM THE EAST OF THE NORTH WEST

Today, if you drive around the valley, you will notice green boards on the roadside, each with a rubbish bin nearby, urging passers-by to "KEEP OUR VALLEY CLEAN". These are part of an Environmental Awareness Project which seeks to raise the awareness of our community about the ecology of the area so that they will be encouraged to play a more positive role in improving their surroundings. Landowners have been persuaded to "ADOPT A KILOMETRE" of roadside and take responsibility to keep it clean.

There is a valley on the Northern slopes of the Magaliesberg where the mountain streams run all year with the purest water. The valley which forms the catchment of the Buffelspoort Dam lies between the Magaliesberg Protected Environment and a line of low hills that protect it from the bustle and clang of the chrome and platinum mines.

 
The people of the Valley have long been proud of the fact that it was safe to drink the water from any mountain stream in the area and, about five years ago, when some early warning signs of pollution were noticed, they decided to form the Buffelspoort Valley Conservancy to secure the future of the rivers and ravines.
 
In addition to river health, several other cardinal issues were identified:
the encroachment of alien plant species; inappropriate veld fire management strategies; the threat of unsuitable development in the valley. But our concern was not only for clean water, indigenous trees and fauna, beautiful rocks and ravines, it was about getting everyone on the community to understand.
 

 

By involving school children in the project, we are hoping to ensure a deeper understanding of the needs of the environment. We believe that those environmental needs should be the first consideration before any development takes place. The BVC cares for the environment.