Why is the Gouritz Initiative  important?

It is a world hot spot.

Why?

The greater Gouritz-catchment area houses three of the most important biomes which were identified as world hot spots - the Fynbos, Thicket and succulent Karoo.

What does this mean?
Each of these important biomes houses at least 1 500 endemic species.
We might think tolbosse, Buchu, Ericas, spekboom, bobbejaantjies and aloes are common - that's why we call them by their ordinary everyday names.

Yet most of these plants are extraordinary, special and unusual - that is why we need to look ater them in order for our chuildren's children to enjoy them one day when they will be walking in the veld indicating where the Star bush, Bushmans candle, Kanniedood, Sugar bush or Wagon tree grows.

Lots of difficult words - but what does it actually mean?

Nowadays we get bombarded by big words and new names.
Especially in the world of conservation, we hear words like biomes, biodiversity, biosphere, hot spots and many abbreviations like GI, SKEP, CAPE, STEP, CEPF, CI and WCNCB.

Mostly we don't have the slightest idea what it all means.
Makes one wonder..
If one doesn't know or understand it, how can one care for it?

Therefore:
With any form of conservation initiative it is of vital importance to create awareness and also to encourage people to learn to care for.

Meaning?
If we know about it, it draws our attention and we start getting involved. It also encourages us to take initiatie and to start a whole new conservation way of thinking.

GI involvement:
That is exactly what the GI (Gouritz Initiative) would like to achieve: For everybody to help getting this project going / taking initiative to take part and to get involved with.

Then we need to understand better:

What do all these words mean?

Biomes: - Regions with specific types of natural vegetation and climate.

Examples: Fynbos, Succulent Karoo, Thicket, Forest, Savannah.

Biodiversity: Biological diversity - meaning the wealth of all life on Earth - including insects, birds, worms, spiders, frogs, bacteria, fungi, reptiles, fish,plants, ferns, mammals - the biggest African elephant to the smallest ant and of course also us - human beings!

WOW!! There are roughly 250 000 plant species and 1 320 000 animal species on earth - IN total 1 413 000 species!!

Hot spots: A hot spot is a region rich in endemic species (meaning species that only occur within this specific region and nowhere else on earth!) It is also an area where at least 70 % of it has been changed by human activities.


Those abbreviations:

SKEP: Succulent Karoo Ecosystem programme
STEP: Sub tropical Thicket programme
CAPE: Cape Action for People and the Environment
WCNCB: Western Cape Nature Conservation Board
CI: Conservation International
CEPF: Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund And last - but definitely not least:
GI - Gouritz Initiative.