Lionel Esau, Deputy Mayor of the Eden District Municipality, Vernon Gibbs-Halls, Biodiversity and Coastal Management at the Eden District Municipality and several other role players proudly hoisted the 2013/14 Blue Flag last Friday (29 November) in front of the Wilderness National Sea Rescue (NSRI) building.
Gibbs-Halls said: "We were awarded the Blue Flag status, but it was touch and go. We nearly didn't get it." According to Gibbs-Halls the Kiani Satu oil spill in August made it difficult to persuade the judges that Wilderness beach again deserves Blue Flag status. "It is difficult to receive the status and even more difficult to keep it. The Blue Flag programme offers many benefits, including improved tourism facilities, enhanced management of coastal ecosystems, increased awareness of the coast and capacity building of coastal municipalities," he said. In South Africa the programme is implemented by the Wildlife Environmental Society of South Africa (WESSA).
Massimo Mariotti, co-owner of Salinas and Pomodoro restaurants in Wilderness, who generously contributed to the programme financially to achieve this award, said residents of Wilderness take great pride in caring for their beaches.
The Eden District Municipality was the main driving force behind the programme. Some of the other role players are SANParks, the Wilderness Ratepayers Association, Cape Nature and the Working for Coast team.
* Wildernis se se strand is weer blouvlag-status toegeken vir 2013/14. Die Eden-distriksmunisipaliteit se uitvoerende onderburgemeester, Lionel Esau het Vrydag saam met al die rolspelers die vlag gehys.
At the hoisting of the Blue Flag in Wilderness last Friday are back from left: Jimmy Scholtz (Co-ordinator of the Working for the Coast Programme in Wilderness) Paul Nicolas (WRRA), Lionel Esau (Executive Deputy Mayor: Eden District Municipalty), Massimo Mariotti, Claudio Nespola (owners of Salinas and Pomodoro) and Vernon Gibbs-Halls (Biodiversity and Coastal Management: Eden District Municipality). In front are members of the Working for Coast team. Photo: Christo Vermaak
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