As a world leader in electrical distribution, industrial control and automation, Schneider Electric adopted a policy to preserve the environments in which it operates. Schneider Electric SA has taahen this policy a step further by being the founder sponsors of the South African Natural Heritage Programme.
Schneider Electric, manufacturers and importers of electrical distribution, industrial control and automation equipment, is represented in 130 countries worldwide. The group is comprised of Merlin Gerin, Modicon, Square D and Telemecanique.
Schneider Electric is involved in industrial development and a wide variety of projects and takes care to ensure that all their products and packaging are as environmentally friendly as possible. In addition, the company has set ecological guidelines for its subsidiaries, encouraging them to use ECF (environmentally chlorine free) and TCF (totally chlorine free) paper, and non-toxic inks for printing.
Schneider Electric South Africa has taken its responsibility for the conservation of our unique heritage seriously and is involved in several programmes of this nature. Its head office in Midrand is surrounded by a garden that contains many indigenous plants and each year the company celebrates Arbor Day by planting the tree of the year on the property. Staff members can also win trees to plant in their own gardens.
Launched in November 1984, the South African Natural Heritage Programme provides an innovative means of protecting and recognising our country's vast natural heritage. The programme is a cooperative venture between the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Schneider Electric South Africa, the WorldWide Fund for Nature (WWF), government conservation bodies and private landowners.
The owners of sites which contain rare or special plant communities, good examples of aquatic habitats, sensitive catchment areas, threatened or endangered species and outstanding natural features are offered an opportunity to actively participate in conservation by registering their sites with the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. This guarantees the protection of their site from development and they are awarded a certificate signed by the President of South Africa, who is the patron of the programme, as well as a bronze plaque that indicates that the site is of national importance.
The South African Natural Heritage Programme thus makes a significant contribution towards the conservation of South Africa's abundant biological diversity and natural beauty for the benefit of future generations, without creating the need to move away from private land ownership. It is a voluntary programme whose success is based on the understanding and cooperation between the relevant government institutions, the landowners and the sponsors, who work together in close partnership. Over the last 15 years the programme has developed and grown into an extensive conservation project which includes more than 325 sites with a total land surface of approximately 500 000 hectares.
It is not only the size of the protected area that is taken into consideration, but also the diversity of fauna and flora that can be found there. From the few unique caves or small habitats of endangered, indigenous plants to areas covering thousands of hectares of particular veld types, plant or animal species, or salient scenes of nature.
Schneider Electric has also committed themselves to two annual grants-in-aid, which are awarded to site owners who require financial assistance in maintaining their sites and protecting them from alien species and fire outbreaks. This year, from more than 30 applicants, the grants-in-aid of R3500 each were awarded to the two most deserving sites. The first successful applicant was Vogelgat Nature Reserve, who intend using the grant to purchase a GPS system to monitor plant recovery and plot plant species. The second successful applicant was Rodney Dorning from Fearnely Farm, who will put the grant towards monitoring the last remaining floating flock of critically endangered wattled crane that forages and roosts on his property.
The annual function to honour ten-year site owners and welcome new site owners took the form of an outdoor brunch in the gardens at Schneider Electric's Johannesburg premises on June 1, 2000. Jaap Grobler, Acting Managing Director of Schneider Electric presented the grants-in-aid to the successful applicants. Gifts were also presented to the ten-year site owners and certificates to the new site owners.
"Schneider Electric is extremely proud to be a founder sponsor of this worthy programme," says Jaap Grobler. "South Africa is a beautiful country with unique and rare natural features and, with the opening up of this country to the international market, foreign investment and tourism, it is becoming more and more important to preserve our heritage," he adds. "We recognise the importance of striking a balance between conservation and industry and believe we set an example to the rest of our industry and our company on a global basis."
In addition to the grants-in-aid, Schneider Electric has produced a booklet detailing the heritage sites that are open to the public. Some of the sites are too ecologically sensitive for their owners to allow access to the general public without placing their environments in danger. However, there are other sites whose sole income is derived from visitors.
Part of the code of conservation ethics for the South African Natural Heritage Programme is to strive to divide the benefits of resource use amongst different communities. The sites listed in the booklet offer activities such as hiking, bird watching, game viewing, trout fishing and visits to historical sites. They also give visitors an opportunity to view rare and endangered species of fauna and flora in their natural habitats. Most of the sites offer camping facilities or self-catering accommodation.
© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd | All Rights Reserved
printer friendly version