An NGO’s Contribution to Mountain Conservation in South Africa

A. Schoon M. Shroyer F. Hunziker

Abstract—The Mountain Club of South Africa (MCSA) is a non- environment, decided to vest their activities with some government organization (NGO) with objectives relating to the degree of formality, and formed the Mountain Club of South enjoyment and conservation of local mountain areas. It is a Africa (MCSA). This occurred in 1891, and it is interesting national federal body comprising 13 autonomous sections distrib- to note that the formation of the MCSA took place at much uted throughout South Africa, with a national central committee the same time as other European mountaineering clubs, as coordinating the Club’s national operation. Key activities include the same needs were being experienced elsewhere. The mountaineering and rock climbing, search and rescue, securing MCSA is in fact one of the oldest mountaineering clubs in the access to mountains, conservation, and outreach. The MCSA has world. good linkages with national bodies such as the International Today the MCSA’s membership has grown to over 4,000 Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA) Access and Con- members in 13 autonomous sections countrywide, with the servation and Mountain Protection Commissions. The MCSA’s largest concentration of members in the Western Cape. The involvement in conservation of the mountain environment includes Club operates as a federal body with a central organization the following initiatives: looking after its national and international interests. Due to its modest size, the Club makes use of only very limited • Watchdog function in terms of development proposals and professional help and relies largely on voluntary input from land-use changes in mountain areas in South Africa. its members for its operation. • Environmental Management Plans for Club properties to pro- A fine distinction is drawn insofar as the MCSA is a tect the wilderness qualities of properties and to educate “mountain club” rather than purely a “mountaineering club.” members regarding environmentally friendly behavior in This broadens the perspective, allowing the Club to partici- mountains. pate in most things to do with mountains. While mountain- • Environmental Management Systems (according to ISO 14001 eering and climbing are, and always have been, the Club’s EMS guidelines) for sport climbing and mountaineering in the core interests, it also participates in many other mountain- Cape Peninsula National Park, and ongoing conservation related activities. efforts to clear invasive alien vegetation and protea atlassing. The objective of this paper is to briefly summarize the • Public participation regarding local, regional, and national MCSA’s range of activities, to describe its involvement in environmental issues potentially affecting mountains and re- activities concerning conservation of the mountain environ- lated communities. ments in South Africa in greater detail, and to highlight The MCSA strongly supports initiatives to preserve mountain some typical issues that are relevant to them. wilderness areas. International Involvement______Introduction ______Like many other sporting bodies, the MCSA experienced a degree of isolation during the apartheid era, manifested in The Western Cape Province of South Africa is blessed with the difficulties experienced when climbing overseas, par- great natural beauty. The rugged Cape Fold Mountains are ticularly in the greater ranges such as the Himalaya and attractive and impressive by any standards. It is perhaps Karakoram. There was also very limited contact with other not surprising, therefore, that shortly before the turn of the mountaineering federations, and the MCSA “missed out” on 20th century, some of the region’s like-minded inhabitants, very significant steps in the development of mountaineering who displayed a natural desire to explore this mountain and climbing that occurred at the time. That changed quite dramatically in the early 1990s when the Royal Dutch Alpine Club and the British Mountaineer- A. Schoon is the National President of the Mountain Club of South Africa, ing Council put the MCSA forward for membership in the 97 Hatfield Street, Cape Town, South Africa 8001, phone: 27-21-465 3412, World Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA) FAX: 27-21-461 8456, E-mail: [email protected]. M. Shroyer is MCSA and the MCSA was elected to that body. Convenor of the National Environment Subcommittee, E-mail: [email protected]. F. Hunziker is the MCSA National Honorary Secretary, With its UIAA membership and the changes that took E-mail: [email protected] place in South Africa’s political fortunes, the international In: Watson, Alan; Sproull, Janet, comps. 2003. Science and stewardship to mountaineering community has gone out of its way to wel- protect and sustain wilderness values: Seventh World Wilderness Congress come the MCSA back into its ranks. In terms of mountain- symposium; 2001 November 2–8; Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Proc. RMRS- eering and climbing, this has been of immense benefit to the P-27. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. MCSA due to the opportunities that have been made

USDA Forest Service Proceedings RMRS-P-27. 2003 99 Schoon, Shroyer, and Hunziker An NGO’s Contribution to Mountain Conservation in South Africa available to its members. But a further benefit, which was Search and Rescue perhaps not at first evident, has been the benefit derived in terms of the contact, information, and advice available In conjunction with other government bodies (such as the through working with the UIAA’s Commissions, which ad- police or air force) and the statutory emergency services, the dress specialized fields such as expeditions, training, medi- MCSA has over many years offered a highly effective volun- cal matters, youth, and safety, among others. The MCSA is tary mountain search and rescue service to provide assis- presently one of only two mountaineering federations on the tance to hikers and climbers who get lost or suffer accidents African Continent that are members of the UIAA. in the mountains.

Activities of the MCSA ______Training and Development

To give an overview of the full spectrum of activities in The MCSA recognizes the importance of safety in moun- which the MCSA is involved, all its key activities are de- taineering and climbing and has over the years provided scribed here. These are expanded only where relevant to the training in mountain leadership and in mountaineering and objective of this paper. climbing skills, both for its own members and for nonmem- bers. More recently it has taken the initiative in forming the South African Mountaineering Development and Training Mountaineering and Climbing Trust (MDT), of which it is the chief patron, to formulate and apply training standards. The MDT is now recognized both by The MCSA has a proud record of mountaineering achieve- the Government and by the tourism industry as the relevant ments from expeditions made to mountain ranges outside authority in this field. MDT standards are fully documented South Africa’s borders. These include many important as- and are in the process of being incorporated into the stan- cents of mountains in ranges on the African, North and dards set by the Government’s qualification authority. South American, and Asian Continents and elsewhere. The MCSA subscribes to the UIAA ethic contained in its Mountain Club of South Africa members have also exten- “International Year of the Mountains 2002 Summit Char- sively explored the mountains of the many ranges inside ter” (UIAA Summit Charter 2002) that everyone should be South Africa, where Club members have made most first free to enjoy the natural mountain environment and that ascents of the mountains considered to be of major impor- mountaineering and climbing contribute to the human spirit tance. Individual MCSA sections organize frequent Club and to human endeavor, as freedom sports with human and meets that vary in nature and difficulty from simple hikes to social values. Therefore, it is aware of the importance of scrambling and kloofing (canyoning). The MCSA’s KwaZulu- providing opportunity to previously disadvantaged commu- Natal Section has organized an annual July (winter) Camp nities to use and enjoy South Africa’s mountain environment at various locations in the Drakensberg for the past 80 years. in a safe and responsible manner. In order to introduce Other MCSA national meets also provide opportunities for members of these communities to the mountain environ- members from sections around the country to climb and hike ment and to convey a message to them regarding the safety together. Besides all these organized meets, members orga- and responsibility aspects relating to going into the moun- nize many more of their own private excursions. tains, as well as the importance of protecting mountains, the South Africa offers some of the best rock-climbing oppor- larger MCSA sections operate outreach programs. tunities to be found anywhere in the world, and both tradi- tional and sport climbing are major activities of MCSA sections. In traditional rock climbing (generally on longer Access and Conservation multipitch routes), the leader and other members of the climbing party are protected by clipping the climbing rope Probably the single most critical element determining the into temporary protection (in the form of slings, chocks, and well-being of our Club’s mountaineering and climbing activi- camming devices called “friends”) placed over rock projec- ties in South Africa is the question of maintaining access to tions and in suitable cracks as the climbers proceed, with all the mountains and to other climbing areas (such as river and of this equipment being removed when no longer required. roadside crags or sea cliffs). Both at sectional and national In sport climbing, the routes are generally shorter and levels, enormous effort is put into ensuring that existing steeper, and protection is afforded by clipping the climbing MCSA access arrangements are maintained and, where rope into permanent preplaced anchors drilled into the rock. necessary, new ones are negotiated. The MCSA has over the Unique access and environmental issues relating to sport years both negotiated access servitudes with landowners climbing are addressed elsewhere in this paper. and purchased key properties to provide a guarantee of Whereas mountaineering and climbing are essentially access in perpetuity, particularly in important mountain noncompetitive recreational activities, one of the more re- areas. cent responsibilities that has evolved from the MCSA’s Mountaineering federations around the world report simi- membership of the UIAA is the promotion of competition lar experiences in this regard, continually having to monitor climbing in South Africa. Climbing competitions are held on and, where necessary, take action to preserve their mem- artificial (often indoor) climbing walls, and results are judged bers’ access to mountains and climbing crags. Access is according to the difficulty of the preset routes and the inextricably linked to conservation of the mountain environ- competitors’ achievements climbing them. A national rank- ment, and the MCSA clearly recognizes this when dealing ing is established, enabling South African climbers to com- with access issues. In an effort to assist its member federa- pete in international competitions. tions, through the dissemination of information on access

100 USDA Forest Service Proceedings RMRS-P-27. 2003 Schoon, Shroyer, and Hunziker An NGO’s Contribution to Mountain Conservation in South Africa and conservation issues, the UIAA through its Access and Section initiated an active program for the removal of Conservation Commission is compiling information from invasive alien plant species in 1945 and has ever since around the world on the current situation regarding access steadfastly continued its work, more recently joined by other to mountains and climbing crags. This includes the legal younger sections in this conservation effort. Club members status pertaining to access (and liability of the landowner) frequenting remote mountain areas have contributed sig- and particular access difficulties that exist, as well as the nificant effort to the recent Protea Atlassing Project in the principal conservation issues affecting access. The MCSA country. has already contributed information to the Commission in the form of a State of the Nation Report (Shroyer 2001a) setting out the status in South Africa in this connection. Potential for Change in the In order to retain the wilderness character of the moun- Mountain Environment ______tain properties that it has purchased, the Club has adopted a policy restricting the construction of permanent shelters Increase in Number of Users (mountain huts), encouraging its members to camp instead, making use of tents where necessary. Both on those few The number of people going into the mountains in South properties where shelters have been constructed and on Africa is likely to rise dramatically. Although our mountains properties without any such “improvements,” the MCSA are presently not heavily used, they will become more so. An strives to apply the same environmental principles that it extreme example is the use of the Western Table on Table would expect others to apply on similar land elsewhere. Mountain where tourist traffic has increased in a very short In the case of the Club’s largest section in Cape Town, a space of time. We should learn from other nations’ experi- detailed land management plan for the Club’s properties is ence how to manage these problems, although some of them in the process of being drafted and implemented, and it is are certainly unique to our situation. intended that the same provision will ultimately be applied One factor that may be unique to our situation is the likely to all the Club’s properties. transition in a large section of our country’s population over The MCSA endeavors to become involved as an interested a period of time from a survival lifestyle to one where people and affected party for any development proposal in moun- are relatively better off and will have the inclination and tain areas. Where practically feasible in terms of its re- means to participate more in recreational activities. sources, it adopts a monitoring role on all forms of proposed The MCSA believes that education will be an important development that may pose a threat to the mountain envi- consideration in dealing with this increased interest. It is ronment, from proposed projects like the Witterivier and important that people appreciate and understand the moun- Visgat Dams in the Western Cape, to the Mnweni cableway tain environment, learning to conserve it, as well as how to in the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg, to major development use it and enjoy it responsibly and safely. These are funda- plans in the Magaliesberg. In the case of the Table Mountain mental issues that the MCSA is already trying to address cableway upgrade, the MCSA played a proactive role in the through its outreach programs and will hopefully, in the public participation process. future, be able to address through the proposed development In terms of one of its prime objectives, the Club strives to side of the MDT. initiate and support actions toward preserving and protect- ing the natural beauty and wilderness character of the mountains and toward promoting their effective conserva- Invasive Alien Plants tion management. The MCSA’s specific goals in this regard The effects of the invasion of alien plant species have had are to: a significant impact on native vegetation on some of South • Prevent pollution of mountain environments. Africa’s mountains. Members of our Club possibly appreci- • Maintain biodiversity of mountain ecosystems. ate more than others the extent of this problem, because • Promote the sustainable use of resources. they see first hand how these alien infestations are taking • Support integrated environmental management proce- hold in some of our remotest areas. While the MCSA and a dures for development proposals or changes in land use few other concerned parties have for many years operated in mountain environments (this includes environmen- plant conservation programs, actively participating in the tal impact assessments and public participation). eradication of alien plants in mountain environments, it is • Motivate its own members and the public to conduct all gratifying that there is now national recognition of the activities in the mountains in an environmentally re- threat posed by alien vegetation in our water catchment sponsible way. areas, and very encouraging that a concerted effort is being • Promote open communication on environmental issues made to commence redressing this problem. within the MCSA and, where appropriate, between the With the limited resources that are available, it is going MCSA and other parties. to take a huge effort to make this project a success. It is important that available energies are used to best effect, The MCSA has adopted and strives to apply the UIAA’s and we should ensure that expert knowledge available in Environmental Guidelines (2002) in its various activities bodies like the MCSA is put to best use. Too often we have and actions. Club members serve as Corresponding Members seen a lot of time, effort, and money put into clearing on the Mountain Protection and Access and Conservation projects, which have been wasted through incorrect tech- Commissions of the UIAA. niques being applied. The MCSA places a high importance on the conservation of South Africa’s mountain heritage. The Club’s Cape Town

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Developmental Impacts been accepted by South African National Parks and is being implemented via a Sport Climbing Working Group. It has Various forms of development have made a significant been a very successful initiative and one that sets new impact on the mountain environment. For example, there is standards for recreation management in protected areas. a proliferation of communication structures in our moun- The MCSA is in the process of drafting proposals for a tains. In themselves, these structures may have more of an similar management plan for mountaineering in the Cape aesthetic impact than anything else, but in cases where Peninsula National Park. roads have been constructed to give access to the sites to facilitate building and maintaining the structures, there has often been severe environmental degradation. An example Challenges Regarding Wilderness where this has happened is on Ben Heatlie, near Worcester, Management ______where an access road more than 20 km (12.4 miles) long has been built in extremely fragile terrain. The MCSA is running There are very few wilderness areas set aside in South a project to compile information on existing communication Africa, particularly when we consider mountainous wilder- sites in sensitive mountain environments to try to apply ness areas. The mountain wilderness areas that we do have pressure to limit further degradation. Fortunately, new and that are afforded an enhanced conservation status must environmental legislation is now in place to ensure that new be recognized as being extremely precious, and we should all structures of this nature may be erected and other forms of do our utmost to ensure that these areas are preserved in a development undertaken only after a proper environmental pristine condition for future generations. impact assessment has been done. But, it is still necessary There are other mountain areas that deserve recognition to keep one’s eyes open to see that the legislation is enforced. as wilderness areas too but that are not afforded any special conservation status. Such areas, together with their present form of ownership and conservation status, need to be Impacts of Users defined and means sought to afford them with an enhanced An emotive issue relating to sport climbing (a compara- conservation status before the window of opportunity is lost. tively recent development in rock climbing that has in- To promote a better understanding of the present conser- creased immensely in popularity throughout the world over vation status of mountains in South Africa, the MCSA, a very short time) is the fact that sport climbing relies on the together with the World Wide Fund for Nature—South placement of fixed protection on the climbs in the form of Africa (WWF-SA), sponsored a research project conducted anchor bolts drilled and glued into the rock. However, this is by Shroyer (2001b) entitled “Establishing the Status of in fact a relatively insignificant impact in relation to the Mountain Conservation in South Africa.” The purpose of the impact of access. Because most sport climbing areas are research was: quite concentrated, with many climbing routes in a small • To provide an overview of the major mountain ranges in area, the impact on the vegetation caused by the climbers South Africa and their conservation status. moving between the routes and reaching the climbing area • To provide information about mountain communities can be far more serious. living in them. In the 1990s, European climbing federations experienced • To provide a brief analysis of the policies, legislation, major problems with access to some of their climbing areas and other “social contracts” affecting their conservation (specifically sport climbing areas) being completely closed status. down due to public pressure exerted on environmental • To highlight some of the key threats to mountain wilder- grounds, partly for the reasons already set out here, but also ness in South Africa. due to possible disturbance of nesting birds, such as per- egrine falcons. Largely from concerted efforts made by the German Alpine Club (DAV) and the Swiss Alpine Club Opportunities______(CAS), many of these constraints have now been removed. Dialogue was initiated by these federations involving all The year 2002 offers South Africa a great opportunity to parties concerned so that the climbers’ aspirations and focus its peoples’ attention on mountains through the United needs and the environmental groups’ concerns could all be Nation’s International Year of the Mountains (IYM 2002). heard and understood, and so that management plans ap- The MCSA recognized this opportunity and lobbied the propriate for each particular area could be worked out and Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Mr. Valli agreed upon. Moosa, and his department at Central Government to set up This successful process resulted in an informative joint a national IYM 2002 Committee to support and coordinate UIAA/World Conservation Union (IUCN) seminar held in the country’s efforts to make this event a big success, an Barcelona in 1998, following which valuable guidelines action that the Government has already set in motion. entitled “Access and Conservation Strategies for Climbing The MCSA will be liaising closely with this IYM 2002 Areas” were published by the UIAA’s Access and Conserva- Committee to promote a number of important national tion Working Group (UIAA/IUCN 2001). events that will take place during 2002. These will include Building on this experience and the information flowing the declaration of Mountain Protection Days over the week- from it, the sport-climbing community, supported by the end of September 14–15, when it is hoped that countrywide MCSA, developed a management plan for sport climbing in mountain conservation projects will be publicized nation- the Cape Peninsula National Park (CPNP) that has now ally in the printed media and on television, as well as a

102 USDA Forest Service Proceedings RMRS-P-27. 2003 Schoon, Shroyer, and Hunziker An NGO’s Contribution to Mountain Conservation in South Africa conference focusing on the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg helping the MCSA to resolve some of the conservation issues Mountains, with the specific objective of contributing to the it has faced. Many of the problems in South Africa are not Protected Area and Parks Conference to be held in Durban unique and have been thought about and often successfully in 2003. The Drakensberg conference, which will be sup- addressed by our international friends. We should draw on ported by the UIAA as one of its international IYM 2002 this experience where appropriate and use the support that projects, has exciting potential in view of the recent develop- they are willing to give us. ments in the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg—the declaration Similarly, organizations like the MCSA should strengthen of the Drakensberg as a World Heritage Site and the forma- partnerships with other NGOs to achieve common goals tion of the Maluti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation relating to mountain conservation. Area. More work is needed, particularly with regard to defining In addition to the contribution that it will make on these and taking action where mountain areas should be recog- projects, the MCSA is planning various other national events nized as wilderness areas and afforded enhanced conserva- to celebrate IYM 2002, the most important of which will be: tion status. The International Year of the Mountains 2002 affords South Africa a great opportunity to highlight the • The publication of a book on the history of mountaineer- importance of South Africa’s mountains and the need to ing in South Africa. conserve them. • Application made to the Post Office for a commemora- tive stamp issue in South Africa focusing specifically on mountains. References ______• The production of an educational video on the moun- tains of South Africa, emphasizing their importance Shroyer, Maretha. 2001a. Mountain Club South Africa—a state of and the need to conserve them, the Nations report to the UIAA Access and Environment Com- • Through partnerships with organizations like Working mission, Mountains: the access and conservation situation in for Water and Ukuvuka Firestop, undertaking special South Africa. Unpublished paper on file at: MCSA Library, Cape Town. [Online]. Available: http://www.mcsa.org.za (2002 August). IYM 2002 projects (such as the high altitude clearing of Shroyer, Maretha. 2001b. Establishing the status of mountain alien vegetation) to publicize work done toward con- conservation in South Africa—a research report for World Wide serving mountains. Fund for Nature—South Africa and the Mountain Club of South • The expansion of the Banff Festival of Mountain Films Africa. Project no: ZA 1232. to a major national event in South Africa. UIAA Environmental Guidelines. 2002. The International Moun- taineering and Climbing Federation. [Online]. Available: http:// www.uiaa.ch/iym/ UIAA Summit Charter. 2002. Year of the mountains 2002: propos- Conclusions______als for collaboration in relation to the International Year of Mountains 2002. Union Internationale des Associations The MCSA, although a relatively small mountaineering d’alpinisme/The International Mountaineering and Climbing federation, endeavors to play a role in the conservation of the Federation. [Online]. Available: http://www.uiaa.ch/iym/ mountains of South Africa, and this paper outlines the UIAA/IUCN. 2001. Access and conservation strategies for climbing actions it is taking in regard to some of the issues involved. areas. [Online]. Available: http://www.uiaa.ch/commissions/ Membership of the UIAA, the World Mountaineering other.asp?idobject=85 and Climbing Federation, has provided useful guidance in

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