Page 68 - Mapping the Nation: Taking Climate Action

groups, conservation partners, and stakeholders in the industry. The resultant smart maps help stakeholders and partners see where to focus their efforts and set priorities. "A map always tells an amazing story," said Nick Theron, K2C senior program manager. "If you're sitting together with a group of people and you need to explain what's going on or get everyone onto the same page—or better understand our work and strategically how we plan—then we need maps." Interventions Address Diverse, Widespread Needs With such an expansive territory, the nonprofit is selective in activating or supporting projects as a partner. K2C's projects must be manageable yet produce significant results. Priorities include the protection of land around waterways, environmental education, clearance of invasive plants, and sustainable land management. The Blyde River catchment, just west of Kruger National Park, has been designated a strategic water source for the country; this sets in motion a notable restoration project where K2C partnered to combat invasive plant species that have degraded the ecosystem. Through other initiatives, the K2C team has undertaken spatial analysis to mark the location and spread of alien plants that choke wetlands. By targeting and removing these plants, and documenting illegal dumping and sand mining, the K2C team expects to see long-term improvement in water quality. 67 This map shows communities located within or near the Strategic Water Source Areas. Keeping pollution from human settlements out of the biosphere's waterways is among the goals of conservationists. To help address high unemployment in the region, K2C has a program that employs residents as environmental monitors. The workers post daily updates, sending GPS coordinates and photographs from mobile devices when they find hazardous or improved conditions, and enrich the GIS database with up-to-date information. These efforts also help preserve water corridors that serve as breeding grounds and migration routes for threatened wildlife. K2C is helping villagers and farmers improve water access while safeguarding biodiversity; the recent cycle of flood and drought has hit 1.5 million people in the region, creating food insecurity.