Click to view Contents:

Page 1
Page 2 Interview with Mavuso Msimang; Prof Fred Ellery discusses the mouth of Lake St Lucia
Page 3 Background to estuary debate
Page 4 Jolly Rubino; Sodwana Bay Easter weekend
Page 5 Nolly Zaloumis; GSLWP legal agreement; Kosi Bay
Page 6 Tonga Beach lodge; Malaria Control
Page 7 A new 'environmental moralism'; Game re-introduction
Page 8 & 9 Brodie's Crossing
Page 10 Bridge over Siyadla river; Craft-making partnerships; Agricultural projects
Page 11 Coelacanth project; Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
Page 12 Comments from Andrew Zaloumis, the Wetlands Authority CEO
Page 13 Trans-frontier Parks; Wildlands Trust; Bulletin board
Page 14 Working for Water
Page 15 Staff profiles
Page 16 Mathenjwa's at Kosi Bay; Information weekend

Highlights
1. With the creation of the Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park authority to shape the future of the World Heritage Site, Mavuso Msimang, former chief executive officer of SANPARKS, has been appointed chairperson of the new board. He maps out his upbeat vision for the 328 000 ha park


2. Whether to open or not? Professor Fred Ellery of the University of Natal's School of Life and Environmental Science examines the critical issues facing the St Lucia estuary mouth, currently closed because of the drought, and presents three options for its management. He concludes it may be best to artificially open the mouth - sooner rather than later - because of the extreme shallowness of the lake.

3. The Mbuyazi people, who once lived on the Eastern Shores, recall their rich heritage during a walk in the park. This includes a visit to Mafuta or Brodie's Crossing, the narrowest portion of the lake across which they tramped along with the animals. Their stories will form part of new research aimed at developing cultural tourism projects.

4. The Authority's chief executive officer, Andrew Zaloumis, recalls the public resistance to the proposed mining of the Eastern Shores and highlights some of the successes since 1994 when the government gave mining the thumbs-down. The Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative committed government to upliftment of the region with the park as the anchor project, and Zaloumis outlines the progress in putting an end to the paradox of "poverty amidst the plenty of nature".

5 . Saliem Fakir, of the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) writes thought-provokingly on environmental moralism, the belief that all forms of commercial development are threats and not opportunities. He bemoans the fact that SA's exellent environment laws have unintentionally empowered those who refuse to compromise.

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The views in the Wetlands Wire do not necessarily reflect those of the GSLWP.
Vol 1 No. 1 June/July 2003

Wetlands Wire

Official Newsletter of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park Authority (Wetlands Authority)
Private Bag X05, St Lucia 3936 \ e-mail wetlandswire@mweb.co.za (031-3044303)