| Home 2010 Action Identification Volunteer Groups What To Do If... Toads and your pets Research WLT Conservation Committee F.A.Q. Gallerylinks |
The Western Leopard Toad Conservation Committee
The Western Leopard Toad Conservation Committee (WLT-CC) was formed in
2007 with its main function to combine ideas and scientific knowledge to
ensure sound, factual information is circulated by the public and in the
media.
The committee also aims to oversee the all activities surrounding the
species, including that in the field of research, monitoring, fund raising
and volunteer work.
The committee contains representatives from the following organizations:
South African National Biodiversity Institute
Cape Nature
City of Cape Town
Overstrand Municipality
Table Mountain National Park
Nature Conservation Corporation
Volunteers of the public
A Biodiversity Management Plan for the Western Leopard Toad is currently
being drafted by members of the committee. This has been motivated for the
following reasons:
The species is listed as Endangered under the IUCN, but conservation can only
be effective in urban areas.
The nature of the threats (road kills; wetland destruction, and urban
development) require national coordination, although implementation is by
local and national conservation authorities, with extensive volunteer
involvement and property owner support. As such it is an ideal flagship
species for the conservation of many other threatened animal species.
This flagship species effectively directly promotes the conservation of at
least 5 other frog species, 1 mammal species and promotes eco-friendly
gardening practices.
Its reach extends beyond its immediate conservation, being ideal for
fostering public awareness and continued involvement in conservation issues,
from alien plants, eco-friendly urban management, and eco-friendly
gardening.
It thus spans the entire range from urban planning, road verge and green belt
maintenance to the man in the garden, uniting them in awareness and
connecting nature from the reserves into the urban gardens.
As a potential Public participation exercise and urban conservation awareness
campaign this project has no equal.
|
|
