The Global Environment Facility has awarded $1 million to help preserve a rugged wilderness area in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. In addition to being the largest protected area in the Eastern Cape and the source of 85 percent of drinking water for nearby Port Elizabeth, South Africa, the Baviaanskloof wilderness preserve contains more than 1,100 species. Although local authorities have been committed to protecting the area’s biodiversity, they were hampered by a lack of funds. The grant was announced during the seventh World Wilderness Congress, which opened Friday in Port Elizabeth. Over the last 20 years, the GEF has provided $1.3 billion to more than 400 projects in 123 developing countries.
