promoting best practice environmental standards across all forms of land use . Crucial to this was the development of its Biodiversity Area Standard ( BAS ) through a collaboration with Ecocert , the large multinational organic certifications body .
So this brings us back to property developers – commercial , industrial and , more specifically , residential – and how they can help redress the issues of biodiversity loss and climate change by implementing ecologically beneficial approaches to their developments . By partnering with the Local Biodiversity Council and making use of their ground-breaking BAS , developers are able to integrate their site with its surrounding outdoor footprint in a way that promotes best practice biodiversity management , mitigates environmental impacts and reduces consumption of natural resources .
In simple terms , this is ensuring that the new development blends into its surroundings , that the developer puts appropriate local fauna and flora at the heart of the development , manages the site with no chemical fertilisers or pesticides , and follows an environmental management plan . This is the minimum requirement to qualify for an Ecocert certification audit .
So how do we do this ? Not just by thinking ‘ green ’ and going for an ‘ indigenous style ’ – that ’ s a good start , but it goes way beyond this … to the Local Biodiversity Model . Which is best portrayed by the Royal Canin Eco Industrial Park , where an abused tract of land with non-existent topsoil was transformed into an ecologically diverse area with countless species of birds , insects and a variety of small animals such as hedgehogs , mongooses and porcupines .
The land was rehabilitated by recreating a self-sustaining landscape as close as possible to the once naturally occurring Highveld environment centred around existing topographical features . The plant communities in the park include grassland , open woodland , woody boulder outcrops and a riparian zone with rocky cascades , moisture-loving grasses and herbaceous plants , wetland areas and open water . It ’ s not just decorative – it ’ s also used as a natural treatment system for water from the effluent treatment plant , which reduces capital , operation and maintenance costs . One huge benefit of implementing the Local Biodiversity Model compared to just a ‘ green space ’ is the substantial reduction in water usage . A ‘ green space ’ would generally require 1,000,000 litres per hectare per month , whereas a ‘ local indigenous ’ space would require zero water after the first two years of development . and ‘ indigenous style ’ to creating its own local biodiversity landuse model , the Royal Canin Eco Industrial Park set itself up to be awarded the prestigious international Eve ® Ecological Area Certification from Ecocert in 2013 – ten years after it committed to putting local fauna and flora at the heart of the development .
‘ Yes ,’ says John , ‘ there can be hope for a better world . The nihilistic philosophy that “ once lost , never to be regained ” may be accurate in a number of instances , but in many cases , within a decade , humans can bring about biodiversity restoration sustainability .’
So gazing upon rolling hills of pristine grassland abuzz with bees , birds and butterflies may not be a pipe dream after all …
Benefits of the Biodiversity Area standard guiding principles :
• ecologically sustainable resource utilisation
• maintain natural ecosystem , life supporting functions
• reduce the negative impacts of industrial and urban sprawl on the natural environment
• sustainable carbon uptake ( reducing carbon footprint )
• eliminate need for irrigation
• reduction of maintenance , labour and resource input costs
• elimination of additives ( fertilisers , pesticides , herbicides , fungicides , insecticides )
• greater interaction between people and the natural environment .
Prerequisites for Ecocert Certification Audit :
• must be managed organically – no chemicals ( herbicides , pesticides , etc .) and no synthetic fertilisers
• must have an environmental management system in place
• must have biodiversity as a cornerstone .
For more information – www . localbiodiversity . org
An environmental management plan ensures adherence to sustainable natural resource principals , such as recycling and reusing water , a non-chemical approach to weed control , programmed burning , and the maintenance of all natural features and processes critical to healthy , functioning ecosystems . By moving its thinking from ‘ green ’
Tessa Buhrmann
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