The Rennies Wetlands Project is one of the few projects in South Africa working nationally on this crucial issue both at grassroots and political decisionmaking levels. The project promotes the rehabilitation, wise use and sustainable management of our wetlands. It also aims to influence political decisionmakers at a national and a provincial level, so that wetland management is included in policy making and macro planning.



The project was started in1991 by the World Wide Fund for Nature, the Wildlife and Environment Society, Rennies, the Natal Parks Board, the Mazda Wildlife Fund and South African Breweries. The first 5 year phase, was managed by the Natal Parks Board and operated mainly in KwaZulu-Natal. The aim was to raise the awareness of wetland owners and the public to wetlands. Workshops, farmers day talks and practical advice was provided to farmers, and agriculture/nature conservationextension officers.



The second 5 year phase ofthe project began in April 1996, and is managed by the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa [previously known as the Wildlife Society of SouthAfrica]. This phase operates nationally promoting the wise use and rehabilitation of South Africa’s freshwater wetlands. It is mainly directed at wetland owners/managers, conservation/agricultural extension officersand key governmental decision makers. The project employs a full time national co-ordinator David Lindley, who is a conservation ecologist with the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa, and his part time office assistant Gayle Barichievy.