Wetland fundraiser draws big crowd

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A fund-raiser for the Conservation Society of Monavale (Cosmo) last Friday attracted a large crowd to enjoy a talk and slide show about the Monavale Vlei, through the seasons, by well-known photographer and doctor Philippa Marett.

A fund-raiser for the Conservation Society of Monavale (Cosmo) last Friday attracted a large crowd to enjoy a talk and slide show about the Monavale Vlei, through the seasons, by well-known photographer and doctor Philippa Marett. Cosmo, set up by concerned residents of Monavale to save their local wetland from destruction by development, cultivation and dumping, still leads the way as a successful community initiative that has raised the profile of wetland conservation as a burning issue, and shown how a community can make a real difference, now and into the future. This vlei has been declared one of the Seven Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance in Zimbabwe, and is soon to become the country’s, and southern Africa’s first ever Unesco Urban Biosphere Reserve.

Marett’s excellent show and talk, featuring both her own lovely photos and some by other conservationists, showed the beauty of the vlei through the seasons. While conserving this area as a beautiful greenbelt and as an important habitat for the many wildlife species calling it home was part of the reason local residents banded together to ensure its on-going protection, their fundamental concern was for continued water supply for Harare and elsewhere, under threat from on-going, widespread destruction of vleis city wide.

bin-it campaign in Harare cbd

Community driven initiatives which encourage all of us as individuals to share in the responsibility of caring for the environment have a good track record, drawing on the energy and goodwill of those with a vested interest in shared goals. Next Saturday March9, you too could be part of the solution to the unending litter and mess in Harare’s city centre. Proudly Zimbabwean has teamed up with the Ministry of Environment, The Environmental Management Agency, City of Harare, Environment Africa, Miracle Missions, Petrocozim and With Love Foundation to organise a Bin-It Campaign to clean up our city. Starting at 11am, anyone can join in, and it promises to be both fun and social. Let’s hope for a huge turnout.