JOURNEY OF WATER

The objective of WWF South Africa’s Journey of Water campaign is to reinforce the need to better protect the country’s strategic water source areas – the mountainous areas which provide the bulk of South Africa’s surface water. Based on research conducted by the CSIR, 50% of the water in our rivers and dams comes from only 10% of the surface area of South Africa. Yet, out of South Africa’s 22 water source areas across five provinces, only 13% of the land enjoys some level of protection (under the National Environmental Management Protected Areas Act of 2000).

The first Journey of Water took place in 2013 when WWF South Africa, in partnership with Sanlam and others, embarked on a journey from the Berg River Dam in the Boland to Cape Town. Aside from raising awareness, the Journey of Water has also led to a sharper focus on ecological infrastructure at a national scale. A key element is reinforcing the message that “water doesn’t come from a tap”.

Since 2013, the campaign has gained momentum around the world, with many positive developments including clearing of alien invasive vegetation, restoration work and the 2021 Declaration of the Elandsberg Protected Environment.

The mission of WWF is to:

* stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment;

* build a future where people live in harmony with nature;

* conserve biological diversity;

* ensure that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable; and

* promote the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

www.wwf.org.za