I hope this is acceptable on this list.
> > > NATIONAL PARK UNDER THREAT - PLEASE SIGN ON
> > >
> > > This is to protest against closing a National Park in South Africa
> > > that has rare animals (desert rhinos for example).
> > > It would be the first time in South Africa that a National Park is
> > > de-proclaimed, and the reason is to allow for diamond mining. Please,
> > > sign and send it to your friends.
> > > Please, please, please add your names to the list!
> > >
> > > DEPROCLAMATION (CLOSURE) OF VAALBOS NATIONAL
> > > PARK:, Kimberley Area, South Africa:
> > >
> > > Please sign at the bottom for your signify and do include your town,
> > > country and e-mail address. If you receive this list and it has 100
> > > names on it, please e-mail a copy of it to Even
if
> > > you decide not to sign, please be considerate and do not kill this
> > > important petition. (Choose either the COPY or FORWARD functions
> > > depending which is best at keeping the email legible.)
> > > [Please edit if necessary.]
> > > Thank you and kind regards.
> > > Dirk Potgieter
> > > Kimberley, South Africa.
> > >
> > > VAALBOS NATIONAL PARK (VNP) was proclaimed by the South African
> > > Parliament in 1986 - the primary function of this 23,000 ha National
> > > Park was to protect a rare combination of 3 x ecotypes and to set up
a
> > > safe and secure breeding facility for the highly endangered (desert)
> > > black rhino and several other rare species. Larger animal species
> > > found in the park on the Schedule 1 List of Endangered Wild Animals
> > > include the (desert) black rhino, white rhino, African scaly
ant-eater
> > > and several Schedule 2 endangered wild animals! on the East & West
> > > boundaries by approx. 50 km of Vaal River frontage this being the
only
> > > section of the Vaal River protected by National Park status and
> > > containing rare barb, rock catfish and the large-mouth yellowfish,
not
> > > to mention birds, reptiles and insects.
> > >
> > > The infrastructure of this uniquely diverse Park (situated 60 km
North
> > > from Kimberley) was established primarily with a local work force
("by
> > > the community for the benefit of the community") recruited from among
> > > the impoverished local community along the eastern boundary (Barkly
> > > West, Longlands, Delportshoop and Gong-Gong).
> > >
> > > It is also worth noting that more than R4 million of local taxpayers'
> > > money was invested in setting up roads and tourist facilities within
> > > this Vaalbos National Park. The promise was made from the very
> > > beginning and again with the grand opening in November 1996 that
> > > Vaalbos National Park would be a major economic boost and
> > > tourism asset to this neglected and progressively impoverished /
> > > unemployed area. As a young National Park, VNP was making its
> > > mark and visitor figures steadily increased with the charming 3
> > > chalets very often fully booked out.
> > >
> > > But then on 24 July 1998 it was announced by Mr.Mavuso Masimang,
> > > Chief Executive of the South African National Parks (SANP) that the
> > > SANP in conjunction with the Northern Cape Provincial Government
> > > (NCPG) had decided upon deproclamation of the Park (the first Park
> > > ever in South Africa to be deproclaimed) and that it should thus lose
> > > its National Park Conservation status and legal protection. This
> > > immediately influenced visitor figures negatively and amazed foreign
> > > tourists.
> > >
> > > According to a press release dated 25/07/98, Mr. Thabo Makweya,the
> > > NCPG MEC for agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Land Reform,
> > > stated that the interests of beginner miners (small diamond miners)
> > > would receive preference in the area's new status of utilisation.
> > >
> > > Deproclamate a National Park for small-scale mining of unconfirmed
> > > diamond deposits?
> > >
> > > According to the SANP the initial aims for establishing a larger
> > > Vaalbos National Park were not realised, partly due to the manner in
> > > which it was done, which included threats of expropriation
> > > and non-consolation; this was to be expected to lead to failure.
> > >
> > > Other excuses such as not having aesthetic value, nor meeting the IUCN
> > > merit system requirements, as well as not being able to carry and
> > > sustain the major predators, are misleading - many Parks, even in
> > > South Africa, do not meet these conditions and still exist. As for
> > > SANP and NCPG themselves, there has been very limited communication
> > > and no consultation with the neglected and impoverished/unemployed
> > > surrounding area communities, as well as a definite lack of
> > > transparency and consideration in reaching this decision. Destroying
> > > the well established Vaalbos National Park, with its much needed
> > > tourism potential for local communities, and then attempting to
> > > establish a new National Park elsewhere in the province, is but a
futile
> > > dream. The result would be progressive impoverishment of already
> > > unemployed communities, and any attempt to establish a new National
Park
> > > elsewhere in the province would involve great (duplicated) financial
> > > cost. The loss of Vaalbos National Park is our real issue here and
this
> > > being the first National Park to be deproclamated in South Africa,
this
> > > conservation failure would lay the foundation for further onslaught on
> > > other National Parks, in a modern world where conservation is fighting
> > > a losing battle.
> > >
> > > To quote a foreign tourist once visiting Vaalbos National Park: "Some
> > > of the finest classic African scenery I have yet experienced!" We hope
> > > to have a web page up within the near future, but presently request
your
> > > kind supporting vote in our quest to retain Vaalbos National Park for
> > > conservation and as a viable development to the benefit of the
> > > surrounding communities.
> > >
> > > We thank you for your time.
> > >
> > > Please sign for your signify and do include your town, country and
> > > e-mail address. If you receive this list and it has 100 names on it,
> > > please e-mail a copy of it to
> > >
> > > 1) Charmaine Gregory, Dbn, RSA,
> > > 2) Maurice de Marigny,DBN, RSA,
> > > 3) Adine Pearce, Dbn, RSA,
> > > 4) Keith Baatz, Montreal, Canada -
> > > 5) Natasha Cherry, Montreal, Canada
> > >
> > > 6) Gary Cherry, Dbn, RSA -
> > > 7) Cathy Aveta, Montreal, Canada -
> > > 8) Kelly Baatz, Montreal, Canada
> > > 9) Cindy Lacireno, Montreal, Canada -
> > >
> > > 10) Carol Baatz, Montreal, Canada -
> > >
> > > 11) Justin de Wet Steyn, CT RSA -
> > >
> > > 12) Alan Staples,Cape Town RSA -
> > >
> > > 13) Mike Bruton, MTN ScienCentre RSA -
> > >
> > > 14) Anneline Kriel, Western Cape Tourism Board,
> > > Cape Town
> > >
> > > 15) A. Streicher, Paarl Tourism Bureau, Paarl
> > >
> > > 16) Liesl Rabie, Paarl, RSA
> > > 17) A Rabie, Hermanus, RSA -
> > > 18) Rijks van der Walt, Hermanus, >
> > >
> > > 19) Frank H. Talbot Sydney,
> > > 20) Paul R. Ehrlich, Stanford, CA, USA,
> > >
> > > 21) Joy Cytryn, New York, NY, USA,
> > > 22) Claire Kremen, Stanford, CA, USA,
> > >
> > > 23) Antoine Guisan, CSCF, Neuchatel, CH,
> > >
> > > 24) Niklaus Zimmermann, WSL, Birmensdorf, CH,
> > >
> > > 25) Philippe Clerc, CJB, Chambesy/GE, CH,
> > >
> > > 26) Mathias Vust , CJB, Chambesy/GE, CH,
> > >
> > > 27) Francois Calame, Uni Neuchatel, CH,
> > >
> > > 28) Carolien de Kovel, Uni Utrecht, Nederland
> > >
> > > 29) Daniel van der Post, Uni Utrecht, Nederland
> > >
> > > 30) Andreas Nebel, Manchester, UK
> > >
> > > 31) Daniela Menegon, Verbier, CH,
> > > daniela=A9webmail.co.za
> > > 32) ellen menegon, enemonzo, italie,
> > >
> > > 33) Graham O'Riordan, Lusaka, Zambia,
> > >
> > > 34) Liz O'Riordan, Lusaka, Zambia
> > >
> > > 35) Renate Clauss, Maun Botswana
> > > 36) Bernhard Clauss, Maun Botswana
> > >
> > > 37) Steffen Roettcher, Gaborone, Botswana
> > >
> > > 38) Lin Cassidy, Gaborone, Botswana
> > >
> > > 39) Daniela Blaettler Botswana nandipa@
> > > hotmail.com
> > > 40) Paul Oliver, Arusha, Tanzania,
> > >
> > > 41 ) Joyce Mollel, Arusha, Tanzania,
> > >
> > > 42 ) Robert Bennetts, Arles, France,
> > >
> > > 43) Christophe Tourenq, Arles, France,
> > >
> > > 44) Pierre Campredon, Brest, France,
> > >
> > > 45) Tom van Spanje, Haarlem, The Netherlands,
> > >
> > > 46) Klaus Guenther, Husum, Germany,
> > >
> > > 47) Sten Asbirk, Roskilde, Denmark,
> > > 48) Martin Schlorf, Hamburg, Germany,
> > >
> > > 49) Oda Wieding, Hilpoltstein, Germany,
> > >
> > > 50) Thomas Binder, Korb, Germany
> > >
> > > 51) Mathias Koehrer, Stuttgart, Germany
> > >
> > > 52) Susanne Koehrer, Stuttgart, Germany
> > >
> > > 53) Kai Oertel, Stuttgart, Germany
> > >
> > > 54) Heidrun Potthast, Gerlingen, Germany
> > >
> > > 55) Anne Rasenberger, Cambrai, Australia
> > >
> > > 56) Inez Bormann, Cambrai, Australia
> > >
> > > 57) Anne Green, Morgan, Australia
> > >
58) Peter Waanders, Waikerie, Australia
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