Cape Prosperity Alliance
Cape Ecosystem Restoration Initiative
Collaborative Action
Cape Prosperity Alliance
Cape Ecosystem Restoration Initiative
The Cape Ecosystem Restoration Initiative (CERI) is focused on restoring ecosystems, conserving habitat, and regenerating the natural systems that sustain life. Ecosystem restoration is defined as a process of reversing the degradation of ecosystems, such as landscapes, lakes and oceans to regain their ecological functionality; in other words, to improve the productivity and capacity of ecosystems.
This can be done by allowing the natural regeneration of overexploited ecosystems or by using the regenerative restoration principles of the Regenerative Design Framework to dynamically enhance the regenerative capacity of natural systems — in other words, to speed up regenerative capacity by focusing on natural mechanisms that can be amplified by human interventions.
How can this be achieved?
This can be achieved by, for example, by developing the knowledge and practical experience required to advance regenerative land and water management techniques, including but not limited to permaculture techniques for soil hydration and natural sequence farming, and rural landscape management techniques aimed at restoring natural water cycles that allow the land to flourish despite drought conditions.
Cape Prosperity Alliance
The 10 CERI
Interventions
Together we will be:
- rehydrating whole landscapes
- decreasing flooding
- moderating local climate
- cooling hot landscapes
- increasing nutritious food production
- restoring ecosystems
- increasing wildlife
- decreasing hunger and poverty
- increasing water resources
- making beautiful places / spaces for people
- bioremediation of the soil, air and water
- improving societal health
- increasing renewable energy production
- decreasing pollution
- and so much more…
1
Reforestation & Climate Moderation
Volunteer to plant 10 trees by paying for, planting and caring for them yourself or by paying for them to be planted and cared for in your name.
Personal Target: 10 trees planted per participant
Initiative Target: 20 million trees planted in the Cape
Ultimate Cape Goal: 100 million trees planted in the Cape
2
Water Infiltration, Bioremediation & Cooling
Volunteer to develop 100 cubic metres of water infiltration or pay for them to be developed in your name — that is: 10 m of swale or 10 m3 of Rainwater LID Gardens or retention ponds / dams or the keyline ploughing of 1,000 m2 of pastures, etc.
Personal Target: 100 m3 of water infiltrated annually
Initiative Target: 200 million m3 of water infiltrated annually
Ultimate Cape Goal: 1 billion m3 of water infiltrated annually
3
Flood Mitigation & Riparian Restoration
Volunteer to build 10 leaky check dams yourself or paying for them to be built in your name.
Personal Target: 10 Leaky Check Dams per participant
Initiative Target: 20 million Leaky Check Dams
Ultimate Cape Goal: 100 million Leaky Check Dams
4
Market Garden Development Fund
The primary goal of the Cape Food Security Initiative (CFSI) is to address both food security and job creation by initiating the establishment of a comprehensive ecosystem of sustainable small and micro scale farmers.
Personal Target: 1,000 kg of food grown by a Market Gardener
Initiative Target: 2 million tons of food grown by CFSI
Ultimate Cape Goal: 10 million tons of food grown by CFSI
5
Syntropically Optimised Solar Economy
Produce / process / store community based renewable energy using principles of the Syntropically Optimised Solar Economy.
Personal Target: 10 MWh of energy produced / year
Initiative Target: 20 TWh of energy produced / year
Ultimate Cape Goal: 100 TWh of energy produced / year
6
Biomass, Composting & Soil Fertility
Help to compost organic waste and biomass by joining a composting group, CBO, or co-operative that sells or gives away the compost to orgs working on public spaces and food production.
Personal Target: Compost all your organic waste
Initiative Target: 20 million kg of waste & biomass composted per year
Ultimate Cape Goal: 100 million kg of waste & biomass composted per year
7
Ecosystem Restoration & Rewilding
Volunteer to restore 1 hectare of severely degraded land yourself or by paying for it to be done in your name — and also help to rewild 100 m2 (1/100 a hectare) of land in your name.
Personal Target: 1 hectare of degraded land restored & 100 m2 rewilded
Initiative Target: 2 million hectares of degraded land restored & 20,000 hectares rewilded
Ultimate Cape Goal: 10 million hectares of degraded land restored & 100,000 hectares rewilded
8
Collaboration & Community Resilience
Join a co-operative or a community based organisation (CBO) and actively participate in its operations by volunteering for 100 hours or paying someone to work on your behalf.
Personal Target: 100 hours of local volunteerism
Initiative Target: 200 million hours of local volunteerism
Ultimate Cape Goal: 1 billion hours of local volunteerism
9
Co-creating Public Spaces & Commonage
Help to co-create Public Spaces & Commonage and actively participate in its operations by volunteering for 100 hours or paying someone to work on your behalf.
Personal Target: 100 hours of local volunteerism
Initiative Target: 200 million hours of local volunteerism
Ultimate Cape Goal: 1 billion hours of local volunteerism
10
Water Harvesting & Greywater Systems
Add 10 000 litres of annual water harvesting to your home and if possible add a greywater system. Alternatively, you can purchase a 2500 litre tank for a NPO or friend if your home is not suitable.
Personal Target: 10 m3 of rainwater harvested annually
Initiative Target: 20 million m3 of rainwater harvested annually
Ultimate Cape Goal: 100 million m3 of rainwater harvested annually
