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