21 Mei / May 2026: Sake en natuur in sinergie | Business and Nature in Synergy
Sake en natuur in sinergie
Op 21 Mei 2026 het die Stilbaai Business Forum ’n sakefunksie saam met die Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve (GCBR) aangebied. Die aand het gefokus op die noue verband tussen Stilbaai se natuurlike omgewing, plaaslike besigheid en die volhoubare groei van die dorp.
Die GCBR het ’n praktiese gesprek gelei oor hoe die omgewing besigheid en besoekers beïnvloed — van watersekerheid, veldbrande en indringerplante tot eko-toerisme, natuurlike hulpbronne, veerkragtigheid en volhoubare ontwikkeling. Die aanbieding se tema, “Nature & Business in Synergy”, het beklemtoon dat Stilbaai se natuurskoon en ekologiese waarde nie net ’n bate vir die gemeenskap is nie, maar ook ’n dryfkrag vir plaaslike besigheid en toerisme.
Die Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve is op 9 Junie 2015 onder UNESCO se Man and the Biosphere-program aangewys. Die streek strek vanaf die binnelandse Karoo tot by die Suid-Kaapse kus en is uniek omdat drie globale biodiversiteit-brandpunte hier bymekaarkom: die Cape Floristic Region, Succulent Karoo en Maputaland–Pondoland–Albany Thicket.
GCBR werk as ’n aksiegedrewe nie-winsgewende organisasie wat projekte koördineer en implementeer rondom bewaring, volhoubare ontwikkeling, navorsing, opleiding en gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid. Hulle werk sluit onder meer ekologiese korridors, ekosisteemherstel, jeugbemagtiging, omgewingsopvoeding, kleinskaalse boerondersteuning, eko-toerisme, gemeenskapstuine, strandskoonmaak en boomplanting in.
Friends of the Biosphere
Die aand het ook geleentheid gebied om meer te leer oor die Friends of the Biosphere-program, wat plaaslike besighede en gemeenskapsvrywilligers verbind om praktiese, natuurpositiewe projekte in die Gouritz-streek moontlik te maak. Volgens die 2024–2025 impakverslag het die program reeds ondersteuning ontvang van 42 besighede, met finansiële en in-natura bydraes wat na verskeie plaaslike projekte gekanaliseer is.
Hierdie projekte dra by tot die verwydering van indringerplante, die beskerming en herstel van inheemse plante en diere, die verwydering van rommel uit strande, riviere en kusomgewings, die vestiging van voedseltuine en die versterking van gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid.
Dankie aan GCBR
Die Stilbaai Business Forum bedank die Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve vir die waardevolle insigte, die praktiese gesprek en die geleentheid om saam te dink oor hoe besigheid en natuur in Stilbaai mekaar kan ondersteun.
Business and Nature in Synergy
On 21 May 2026, the Stilbaai Business Forum hosted a business networking event with the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve (GCBR). The evening focused on the close relationship between Stilbaai’s natural environment, local business and the sustainable growth of the town.
The GCBR led a practical discussion on how the environment influences business and visitors — from water security, wildfires and invasive alien plants to eco-tourism, natural resources, resilience and sustainable development. The presentation theme, “Nature & Business in Synergy”, highlighted that Stilbaai’s natural beauty and ecological value are not only assets to the community, but also key drivers of local business and tourism.
The Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve was designated on 9 June 2015 under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme. The region stretches from the inland Karoo to the southern Cape coast and is unique because three global biodiversity hotspots converge here: the Cape Floristic Region, Succulent Karoo and Maputaland–Pondoland–Albany Thicket.
GCBR operates as an action-oriented non-profit organisation that coordinates and implements projects focused on conservation, sustainable development, research, training and community involvement. Their work includes ecological corridors, ecosystem rehabilitation, youth empowerment, environmental education, smallholder farmer support, eco-tourism, community gardens, beach clean-ups and tree planting.
Friends of the Biosphere
The evening also created an opportunity to learn more about the Friends of the Biosphere programme, which connects local businesses with community volunteers to enable practical, nature-positive projects in the Gouritz region. According to the 2024–2025 Impact Report, the programme has already received support from 42 businesses, with financial and in-kind contributions channelled into various local projects.
These projects contribute to the clearing of invasive alien plants, the protection and restoration of indigenous plant and animal species, the removal of litter from beaches, rivers and coastal environments, the establishment of food gardens and the strengthening of community involvement.
Thank you to GCBR
The Stilbaai Business Forum thanks the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve for the valuable insights, the practical discussion and the opportunity to explore how business and nature in Stilbaai can support one another.