from NJABULO BUTHELEZI in Durban
KwaZulu Natal Bureau
DURBAN, (CAJ News) – THE Dube Trade Port is to rehabilitate and restore its ecological infrastructure.
Over the past five years, it has acquired over 200 hectares of land with the purpose of conserving environmentally sensitive land near its development operations.
This forms part of a crucial and comprehensive sustainable development strategy ahead of the implementation of the 50-year master plan for the Durban Aerotropolis.
It will encompass approximately 10 000 hectares of green spaces.
Zama Dlamini, Manager, Environmental Management Services for Dube Trade Port, said this newly acquired land includes 80 percent of wetlands, adding to the existing 854 hectares designated for rehabilitation and restoration within the delineated conservation area.
“The land acquisition process involves input from planners, environmentalists, and property portfolio specialists to ensure the conservation of critical biodiversity and implementation of ecosystem services as a means for mitigating climate change,” Dlamini said.
There have already been positive results from the ongoing rehabilitation and restoration projects.
These include the reintroduction of the Grey Crowned Crane (Balearica Regulorum), which has been observed breeding in the wetlands on the western boundary of the Dube Trade Port precinct.
This area is now protected from all development activities by a 1km buffer zone.
Additionally, a healthy buffer created and managed under the current rehabilitation and restoration project is maintained to protect the pickers gill reed frog species (Hyperolius pickersgill) found within Lake Victoria and Froggy Pond wetland, on the southern boundaries of the Dube City development.
“Dube TradePort, in collaboration with the Endangered Wildlife Trust and King Shaka International Airport, continues to monitor these species through ongoing wet-health assessments,” Dlamini said.
– CAJ News