Restoration Ecology in Durban, South Africa. Errol Douwes1,2 1 Environmental Planning and Climate Protection Department, eThekwini Municipality, 166 K.E Masinga Road, Durban, 4001

2 School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban, South Africa.

Mandate of EPCPD

• Co-ordinate environmental action across all municipal sectors with a view to

achieving greater resilience and sustainability

• To use systematic conservation planning methods to identify key terrestrial,

freshwater and marine ecosystems, which need protection and management.

• To combine innovative research with practical implementation, as a means to

guide ecosystem restoration and sustainability, within the Municipality.

• To oversee the development and implementation of the Municipal Climate

Protection Programme.

• To ensure effective environmental regulation of development through the

implementation of relevant legislation, guidelines, science and best practice.

Natural Science

Museum

City Manager

Chief Strategy Officer

Risk Management and Advisory

Performance Monitoring and Evaluation

Area Based Management

Organizational Development and

Change Management

DCM: Finance

Supply Chain Management

Internal Control and Business Systems

Expenditure

Revenue Management

Real Estate

City Fleet

Finance Pension and Major Projects

DCM: Economic Development and

Planning

Economic Development and Investment

Promotion

Business Support Markets and Durban

Tourism

Development Planning,

Environment and Management

DCM: Human Settlements,

Engineering and Transport

Human Settlements

Engineering

Transport Authority

DCM: Community and Emergency

Services

Health

Security Management

Emergency Services

Disaster Management and Emergency Control

Safer Cities and ITrump

Parks Recreation and Culture

DCM: Corporate and Human Resources

Occupational Health and Safety

Skills Development

Human Resources

DCM: Trading Services

Cleansing and Solid Waste

Water and Sanitation

Electricity

DCM: Governance and International

Relations

Communications

City Hall Administration and Secretariat

Governance and International relations

Regional Centres

Community Participation and Action Support

Mayoral Parlour

Head: Geographical

Information and Policy

City Integrity and Investigations

Internal Audit

Legal and Compliance

Strategic Projects

Programme Management Office

Metropolitan Police

Environmental

Planning and

Climate

Protection

Energy Office

Natural

Resources and

Special Services

Libraries &

Heritage

Core focus areas:

Biodiversity, Climate and Resilience

Other environmental functions

Deputy Head: Climate, Biodiversity and Resilience

21000010

Manager: Strategic Environmental Integration and

Resilience

2100020

Environmentalist (3) 21000022, 21000024,

21000026

Environmental Technician

21000028

Manager: Biodiversity Planning

21000044

Specialist Ecologist (5)

21000046, 21000048, 21000050, 21001158,

21001160

GIS Officer

21000052

Environmental Technician

21000054

Professional Planner

21001194

Manager: Restoration Ecology

21000006

Programme Manager (3)

21001198, 21001200, 21001202

Environmental Technician

21001204

Administration Officer

21001206

Manager: Climate Change Adaptation

21000056

Climate Protection Scientist (3)

21001128, 21001130, 21001132

Environmental Technician

21001134

Manager: Climate Change Mitigation

Manager: Biodiversity Impact Assessment and Municipal Compliance

21000030

Administration Officer

21001166

Environmentalist (5)

21000032, 21000034, 21000036, 21000038,

21000040

Environmental Technician

21000042

Environmentalist (Municipal Infrastructure)

(2)

21001010, 21001154

Biodiversity Enforcement Officer (2)

21001012, 21001156

Departmental Organogram

Durban’s Metropolitan Open Space System

• D’MOSS initiated in 1994

• Ongoing environmental planning

(boundary change)

• Total area now: 75 000 ha

• Biodiversity Hotspot:

– Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany corridor

– Four biomes; Seven vegetation types; Over

2000 plant species

Working for Ecosystems

• Invasive Alien Plant

Control

• Job creation

• Training

• Skills development.

• Business

development

Fire and Invasive Species Control

• Invasive Alien Plant

Control

• Job creation

• Training

• Skills development

Community Reforestation

Em

mare

ncia

Kh

um

alo

Melta Majola Nondumiso Khumalo

Super-growers

Bongiwe Ntseoane

Thandiwe Mthalane

Sustainable Livelihoods

Integration

Environmental Planning

Implementation

Research

Implementation

Improve

Ecosystem

Services

Improve city-

wide planning

and decision-

making

Biodiversity

and Climate

Protection Research

INT

EG

RA

TIO

N

Job

Creation

Skills

Development

Inform Policy

& Strategy

Improve

Sustainability

Inform local, national

and international

governance systems Novel

Ecosystems

CO

-BE

NE

FIT

S Novel

Approaches