On 22 June 2000 the Western Cape Department of Environmental and Cultural Affairs and Sport granted an Environmental Exemption for the development of Brackenridge Estate. Condition 9 of the relevant “Record of Decision” stipulates that “an ECO (Environmental Control Officer) must be appointed to ensure the effective implementation of the EMP (Environmental Management Plan)” and that “the role and responsibilities of the ECO must be clearly spelt out in the EMP”. (You can call up Brackenridges updated EMP here.)
Brackenridge’s current ECO is Kellyn Whitehead, MSc who took up office on 1 May for 2024. Her second period of office will commence in January 2025. Kellyn is a scientifically qualified Fynbos expert and this is how she describes her motivation and vision:
“My name is Kellyn and from a young age I found a love for anything involving nature, whether it was birds, bugs, animals or plants. I received my BSc Honours degree in behavioural ecology at Stellenbosch University. As my love for birds and the fynbos grew, I went on to get my MSc in pollination ecology. I have worked in the conservation field for the past 10 years with a main focus on fynbos.”
Kellyn is an ex officio member of the EMC (Environmental Management Committee) to which she submits a monthly report on the state of our natural environment, and on the ongoing activities undertaken in accordance with the EMP. These reports are avilable for download:
- #1 – 30 May 2024
- #2 – 30 June 2024
- #3 – 31 July 2024
- #4 – 31 August 2024
- #5 – 30 September 2024
- #6 – 31 October 2024
- #7 – 30 November 2024
In addition to these monthly ECO reports Kellyn also wrote a number of guidelines and two proposals, one for the Post-burn rehabilitation of burn block 5, and a second on the potential, requirements and limitations for the Introduction of buck and bees into Brackenridge Estate.