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Climate Partnership Bremen – Durban

Wetland Rehabilitation in the uMhlangane River Catchment to Adapt to Climate Change

The cities of Bremen and Durban have been linked for many years through an active partnership in which sustainability, environment and climate change are playing an increasingly important role. This is why, in autumn 2010, Bremen and Durban jointly decided to establish a municipal development partnership for climate change mitigation and sustainable natural resource management.

A man looking at the wetlands — Rehabilitation of the Riverhorse Valley Wetlands. Photo: City of Bremen

In 2011, the two sides further intensified their already active exchange on environmental and climate issues by joining the pilot phase of the Service Agency project ‘50 Municipal Climate Partnerships by 2015’. In the course of this project, Bremen and Durban drew up a joint programme of action that includes concrete activities for climate change mitigation and adaptation, and the resources needed to implement the measures. Based on these joint plans, in 2012 the partnership successfully applied for funding from the Service Agency's Programme to Support Municipal Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Projects (FKKP). The project which Bremen and Durban proposed – 'Wetland rehabilitation in the uMhlangane river catchment to adapt to climate change' – will receive support of up to 500,000 euros under the FKKP, provided from special funds of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It is scheduled to be implemented by 2016.

The project objectives

The joint project focuses on protecting and restoring ecosystems in the uMhlangane river catchment in northern Durban – otherwise known as the Riverhorse Valley Wetland. The measures are designed to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change, such as flooding and water pollution. The project also aims to make a direct contribution towards improving the living conditions of the local population.

In the first year (2013) alien plant species and refuse were removed from parts of the project region, which covers 41.5 hectares. This also created jobs for the disadvantaged local population. Furthermore, preparations were made for installing a water testing station, and a workshop was held for supervisors and workers on ‘impacts of climate change’. Both sides were forced to learn that when implementing a project, things do not always go according to plan. This happened when new problems arose in the course of the project that also needed to be solved. For instance, a particularly aggressive, fast-growing plant that is difficult to remove – Spanish Reed (Arundo donax) – became established in the project region. Various methods needed to be tried out in order to achieve better results. This was compounded by the steep topography of the project region, which makes it more difficult to manage the landscape. In the long term it will only be possible to successfully reduce uncontrolled waste disposal, and thus improve the quality of water in channels and rivers, by raising public awareness. Right now, the different environmental awareness of many local residents leads them to toss refuse from their houses down the slope that was cleared of rampant plants as part of the project.

The formal conditions for financial support also constituted an additional challenge for the two cities. This included for instance the allocation of annual funding by financial year, which in Durban runs from July until June of the following year. Nonetheless, all things considered the partners are satisfied with the success of the work they have done. In 2014 they placed special emphasis on making up for the time lost as a result of delays in launching the project. The water testing station was installed and commissioned, and large swathes of the degraded wetland that was previously used by a sugar cane plantation were restored to a near-natural state. The partners did have to face a setback when measuring probes were stolen from the testing station, however. They decided to commission a new design that allowed the probes to be sunk in the stream so that they remained out of sight. Now that they are below the water level the new probes are once again working perfectly, and readings can be taken at regular intervals.

An agreement to deliver sustainability

Group picture in front of a big map — Experts from Durban and Bremen discuss the lessons learnt from the project. Photo: City of Bremen

In 2015, following protracted negotiations the Riverhorse Valley Business Management Association and the City of Durban succeeded in signing a framework agreement. This agreement made it possible to employ four workers at the Business Management Association, who were tasked to establish indigenous plants in the wetland and continue removing aliens. After completion of the project these workers will continue to be employed by the association, and will thus help make the work of the project sustainable. Also in 2015, a working group comprising representatives of the municipality, non-governmental organisations and local groups began working on a participatory approach to develop a management plan for the wetland. The plan should improve land use there.

In the final year of the project – 2016 – as well as a project evaluation there will also be a stronger focus on knowledge management. Together the two sides will think about what lessons they learned from the project, and make these available to an interested public. This is how Bremen sees things: ‘Working with our colleagues in Durban functions really well. It is also important that we have established a sound basis of trust. This means we are able to talk openly not only about success stories, but also about problems. We can then seek solutions together, and where necessary make joint adjustments to our project plans.’ (Silke Goethe, Free Hanseatic City of Bremen)