12 October, 2006

New NEMA EIA Regulations workshops ...

The Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (Western Cape Province), in conjunction with Strategic Environmental Focus (Pty) Ltd, cordially invites you, as an interested party, to attend an informative and expounding workshop on the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA) and the new NEMA Regulations (GN No. R. 385, GN No. R. 386 and GN. R. 387 of 21 April 2006).

The intention of the two-day training workshop is to provide clarity on issues and/or concerns regarding the new NEMA Regulations and how they will be implemented in the Western Cape.

The target audiences for these workshops include municipalities (in particular, Councilors, Town & Regional Planners, Technical Services Engineers, Environmental staff and Project Managers), government departments, consultants, business and industry and members of public.

There will be a series of workshops throughout the Western Cape. However, the workshop that falls within your area will be held at the location as set out below:

Karoo (Prince Albert) 19-20 October (RSVP 12 October )
Overberg (Caledon) 31 October & 1 November (RSVP 23 October)
Cape Town 6-7 November (RSVP 30 October)
Boland (Stellenbosch) 8-9 November (RSVP 1 November)
South Coast (George) 13-14 November (RSVP 6 November)
West Coast (Piketberg) 16-17 November (RSVP 9 November)

Please ensure that you register before the RSVP date, by replying to the contact details as set out below, so that the necessary catering and logistical arrangements can be made.

Strategic Environmental Focus (Pty) Ltd
P. O. Box 1330
Durbanville
7551
Tel: (021) 979 3822
Fax: (021) 979 3830
E-mail: Victoria@sefsa.co.za

You are urged to make use of this opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the new environmental regulations.

Draft Off-Road Route Guidelines ...

Dear Stakeholder

Draft Off-Road Route Guidelines that are now available for public review.

A detailed letter about the whole guideline process is available from the contact person detailed at the end of this post.

Unfortunately these document are too large to send as attachments, and you are requested to download them from either www.savannahSA.com or www.capegateway.gov.za/eadp

I have downloaded them on my dial-up system and it took a total of 18 minutes to download all three documents. I recommend that you 'right-click' on "View" and use "Save Target As" - this should facilitate the download process.

The files are as follows:
* Planning and Managing Sustainable Off-Road Routes: A Guide for Route Planners and Operators - 3,196kb

* Assessment and Evaluation of proposed and existing Off-Road Routes: A Guide for Environmental Assessment Practitioners and Authorities, and Route Planners - 1,968kb

* Environmental Ethics and Sustainable Use of Off-Road Routes and Trails: A Practical Guide for Recreational Trail Users - 133kb

The letter also includes details of two public meetings that will be held to discuss comments regarding the guidelines.
They are as follows:

a.. Cape Town - Wednesday 25th October, 9.30am, Kirstenbosch Stone Cottages (2-3 hours as needed)

b.. George - Thursday 26th October, 10.30am, King George Protea Hotel (2-3 hours as needed)

Contact:
Please reply to Kathy Leslie, wleslie@iafrica.com if you are able to attend
either meeting. Any other comments or queries can be forwarded to Kathy or
Karen Jodas of Savannah Environmental by 9th November 2006.

Kathy Leslie 083 325 5615 or 021 671 9350 (fax 088 021 671 9350)

All ISO certified companies - capacity building opportunity ...

A must attend for all ISO certified companies to keep you up to date with the latest information - 24 August at the Plastics Federation, Midrand.

You are invited to attend this highly informative workshop to be held at the Koeberg Visitors Centre in Koeberg on 26th October 2006. The programme is designed to inform on a range of important topics which currently challenge industry and are of particular importance to those who manufacture, fill, use, empty, dispose, reprocess or recycle industrial packaging and especially those who have ISO certification to keep them up to date with new legislation and best global industry practice.

Speakers include Provincial Government on the Green Scorpions approach to compliance, monitoring and enforcement and new Waste legislation, SANAS on what SANAS Accreditation means and why it is important to your certification body to several innovative ways for recycle of common waste streams including ewaste as well as feedback from the recent International Industrial Packaging Conference in San Francisco.

Secure your place by completing and returning the attached registration form by fax 032-942 8328 or email liz@rcmasa.org.za and do pass on a copy to anyone you know who should attend.

For more information on this stunning venue, please visit the Eskom Website on www.eskom.co.za.

Look forward to seeing you on the 26th.
Best regards, Liz and Lee-Anne

PO Box 894
Umhlali
4390
liz@rcmasa.org.za
tel: 032-942 8256
fax: 032-942 8328

Wetland service provider required ...

Dear wetlanders

SANBI is acting as the national focal point for a project on the
sustainable management of inland wetlands in southern Africa, funded
by the Global Environment Facility and implemented through International
Water Management Institute, IUCN and Food and Agriculture Organisation.

IUCN Regional Office for Southern Africa, which is responsible for the
component of the project dealing with assessment of needs for capacity
development, would like to appoint a service provider to undertake a
short study on policies, strategies, curricula and institutional
arrangements for wetland management in South Africa. A ToR is available for more information.

Anyone interested in undertaking this work should submit to me the CVs
of a proposed two person team before 18 October 2006.

Please note that the budget for this work is fixed and is included in
the ToR, so it is implicit that you will need to scale the intensity
of the study to fit the funds available.

Contact person:
John Dini
Programme Manager
Working for Wetlands
South African National Biodiversity Institute
Private Bag X101, Pretoria, 0001
South Africa
Tel: +27 12 843 5292
Fax: +27 12 843 5205
Cell: 083 420 7988
Email: dini@sanbi.org
www.sanbi.org