LandCare Services: Climate Change Fact Sheet

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SRM: Landcare: CLIMATE CHANGE

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Afrikaans: Klimaatsverandering Feiteblad Laai .pdf af
English: Climate change fact sheet Download .pdf
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WHAT YOU CAN DO TO MITIGATE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

General Principles of Natural Resource Management Best Practise:

Acknowledge the threat of climate change both human-induced (industrial agriculture) and natural, adjusting management plans accordingly
Look and Learn - Be open-minded, proactive and adaptable
Participate in collaborative management across the landscape through existing structures such as farmer organisations, conservancies, LandCare forums, Water Forums and Fire Protection Agencies.
Lobby with these organisations for education and assistance if this is not forthcoming.
Demand the appropriate quality products and services
Save energy and explore renewable energy sources
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
Know your rights and obligations for e.g. right to healthy environment, duty of care for environment
Encourage effective partnerships between stakeholders
Inform and educate yourself and pass this on to others.
Use appropriate wind break species e.g. indigenous trees and restios

THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW!

LOOK AFTER YOUR SOIL

Maintain as much soil cover as possible (Cover crops, Mulch)
Manage veld and riparian areas
Introduce and maintain diversity of plant life and habitats that will maintain diversity of all other life.
Manage, reduce and rehabilitate erosion. (re-plant, use gabions and swales)
Increase soil life and organic matter
Reduce tillage to an absolute minimum
Minimise the use of chemical fertilisers with the aim of nil usage.
Replace chemical fertilisers with compost, cover and sacrificial crops, humus, worms, microbial life, natural mined minerals.

LOOK AFTER YOUR WATER

Store surplus water (earth dams, rain tanks on all buildings)
Re-direct water runoff (swales, canals, ponds)
Avoid water run-off (cover-plants, mulching)
Recycle (grey water from houses, factories, etc)
Investigate desalination (Use internet to look at desalination experiences of Australia, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Namibia)
Reduce/avoid evaporation (Cover water storage areas where possible).
Bury all water pipes to reduce evaporation, leaks, and sun damage.

LOOK AFTER YOUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Remove invasive alien plants & other organisms and restore natural habitat
Establish shelter belts, maintain & protect wildlife & natural areas
Use good agricultural practices that include crop rotation and reduction of the use of harmful chemicals
Greening using indigenous species to create beneficial microclimates
Wise use of biodiversity e.g. sustainable harvesting
More efficient use of energy and fuel switching to more sustainable fuels
Replace old diesel engines, the cause of major pollution
change to renewable energy (wind power, solar power, biomass, micro-hydro)

PRACTISE EFFICIENT IRRIGATION and WATER USEAGE

Anticipate reduced quantity of water available for irrigation
Manage irrigation by scheduling according to plant demand.
Use soil moisture probes and irrigate according to need.
Maintain irrigation systems (remove from dead plants, fix leaks)
Design an optimal system (use drip irrigation where possible)
Deep mulch and irrigate less.
Planning for change – site, crop and cultivar selection, row direction
Changing the micro-climate - e.g. Shade-netting, evaporative cooling, reflective particle film

LOOK AFTER CATCHMENT AREAS & RIVERS

Maintain biodiversity and soil cover
Appropriate fire management
Erosion control and restoration
Wetland and riparian zone conservation & restoration
Control invasive alien plant & organisms

ACTIVELY EXPLORE ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTION METHODS AND LANDUSE

Climate change,organic and biological farming, awareness workshops and farmer mentoring
Sustainable harvesting of wild rooibos, medicinal plants, fuelwood and restios as thatching material

ADVANTAGES OF MITIGATION TO YOU AS LANDOWNER

Improved quality of life
Avoid crop and bio-diversity loss
Avoid reduction in value of property, and instead increase value
Increased productivity
- Reduction of input costs
- More crop per drop
- Higher quality product
- More competitive
Possibility of carbon funding to support sustainable development
Forewarned is forearmed - by acting now you make use of short window of opportunity to become sustainable
Less susceptible to extreme events (droughts) & other risks
Be part of target group that receive priority service from service providers from various tiers of government
Resultant stable environment provides opportunity to capitalise on other sources of income linked to biodiversity
Act pro-actively before legislation becomes prescriptive. SA has obligations to international climate change mitigation frameworks

Resource List & References

Beginners Guide to UNFCCC
South Africa National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (See Adaptative Strategy for Biodiversity)
Western Cape Provincial Climate Change Policy & Strategy
Bewaringsboerdery handleiding – Dept Agriculture – Copies of CD
Andre Roux, Department of Agriculture - andrer@elsenburg.com
Charl van Rooyen, Department of Agriculture - Good Agricultural Practices - Charl Van Rooyen
Additional Reading
Recommended further reading: www.ihdp.org (International Human Dimensions Programme)
CapeNature’s Fact Sheet: A landowners guide to MANAGING BIODIVERSITY IN AN AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE