Geasphere - Earth Matters | South Africa


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About Geasphere

Brief History

Geasphere has its roots at a meeting held in the Nelspruit Botanical Gardens in 1999.This meeting went under the heading “South African Water Crisis” and it focused on the significant impacts of industrial timber plantations in our region – particularly with reference to escalating water shortages. The organizer of the meeting – Philip Owen – was tasked with establishing a network for dissemination of relevant information. The organization functioned as the ‘South African Water Crisis Network” until formally registered as Geasphere in 2003.
Since 2003 funding has been obtained from various sources, including Global Greengrants Fund (GGF) and the Germany based Grassroots Foundation. Currently, we are in the third year of a ‘partnership’ with the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC). These funds allows us to currently employ a part time coordinators in Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland.

Geasphere Mission

To facilitate campaigns which promote protection, management and restoration of ecosystems to maintain ecological integrity.

We aim to develop our regional capacity to ensure wide dissemination of information to all sectors of our society.

We aim to help raise capacity amongst individuals and Community Based Organizations so as to help ensure meaningful participation in decision making processes with regard to developments which will impact on the natural and social environment.

We aim to advocate alternative eco-sustainable solutions for the Water, Forestry, Agriculture and Conservation sectors.

In addition to seeking support from Foundations, we intend to obtain income from our supporter base through voluntary donations.

Geasphere Industrial Timber Plantations Campaign

Goals:

To campaign for a moratorium on the establishment of new industrial timber plantations in southern Africa until such time as a fully comprehensive analysis of costs and benefits has been completed and the outcome widely reviewed and debated by all stakeholders

To ensure that adequate monitoring and compliance systems are designed and implemented to promote protection and enhancement of indigenous biodiversity resources and regional ecosystem functions

To oppose large scale developments that may impact negatively on the integrated environment

To promote awareness of the value, and need for protection, of the remaining natural grassland, savannah, forest and other natural eco-systems in southern Africa