National People and Parks Workshop ...

After completing the Milner Ridge Peak hike on Sunday evening I left Ceres after dark and drove to Beaufort West to attend the National People and Parks Workshop. I arrived at the guesthouse at about 1 AM. I was on such a high that I stayed very much awake during the drive.

I woke early and got down to the venue to get the display material that I had bought along up before the opening of the event by Minister Tasneem Essop.

These are some pics from the event in Beaufort West on 30 and 31 October 2006.

Most of the pics are from the informal session on the second evening.

Generally my impression was that this event was very worth while. There were delegates from the national department, almost all the provincial departments and conservation agencies, as well as six or eight civil society delegates from each province that were in volved in projects associated with their respective protected areas.

The two key elements arising from the proceedings was a workshop declaration dealing with a whole range of issues relating to the relationship between civil society and biodiversity conservation, particularly protected areas.

The facilitator has my undying admiration. He handled the event with accomplished aplomb under very trying circumstances during some phases of the event.



I think that the only MEC that was able to attend the event was our own Minister Tasneem Essop who opened the event

I can say with total conviction that she is the best MEC that I have ever had the pleasure to work under in the past 25 years













This is the ridge above Lemonfontein where I stayed the first two nights








The view from the lounge ...













... and on to the stoep where the breakfast was served

Both mornings I had interesting breakfast discussions from one of the directors of Land Affairs who was dealing with the land reform programme







The view from the stoep at Lemoenfontein with Beaufort West in the distance between the dam and the low hills











Sunset before going off to the Karoo National Park for dinner












The Karoo hills from the stoep of the National Park facility











A panorama of the same view







Sunset













The school kids put on a great performance of gum boot dancing


























And the local ladies a performance of traditional dancing and chanting

















Vera one of my colleagues joins in













One of our Western Cape community reps, a traditional healer, joins in


















































The smoke is from the braai fires on the stoep alongside












Some get smoked ...













Some just sits ...



















Some dance ...


















... and some pose












This is my favourite picture of the set

































Some join in ...


















Some sing ...


















Some drum ...















Unfortunately Lemoenfontein was fully booked for the third night of my stay.

I stayed in a cheap R125 roadhouse room for the last night and left at 4AM so I could be at the C.A.P.E. Task Team Round Table in Cape Town in the afternoon.
















There were quite a few 'stop-go' road restrictions for road maintence on the way back.

Here is one in the Hex river valley