Chintsa Estuary has once again secured the prestigious WESSA Green Coast Award for 2023, marking its fourth consecutive victory.
The award winners were confirmed towards the end of October and Great Kei Municipality has scored huge wins, with Chintsa, Morgan Bay and Kei Mouth being re-awarded Green Flag status.
The Green Coast Awards were founded in 2018 by the department of tourism and WESSA is bestowed on those rural coastal sites that are well managed and can maintain a consistent improvement.
The awards were founded to protect the natural and undeveloped beauty of SA’s coastline as wild beaches and appeal to a specific sector of the tourism market who are looking for experiences in adventure, outdoor living and nature tourism along our coastline.
Green Coast sites aim to protect sensitive habitats, species and cultural heritage.
Chintsa Estuary was entered by community group, Chintsa Green Coast, under the category of sensitive habitats because the estuary has both aesthetic value and provides an ecosystem for people and the environment.
The award recognises that the estuary is being maintained according to 13 criteria points.
An important aspect of its care is that it is being carried out by collaboration between the community, residents, volunteers and the municipality and that important conditions such as pollution free water, safe beach infrastructure, waste management services and tourism management plans are being implemented.
To achieve the award, stakeholders ensured that service delivery and waste management at the sites were met, frequent water quality testing was performed, environmental education programmes were hosted and upgrades to key coastal infrastructure was prioritised.
Kerry McClean, a resident of Chintsa and a WESSA employee said the award was important to the people of Chinsta to work together as residents and local government to care for the environment.
McClean said Green Flag status sets the foundation for achieving an eventual international Blue Flag status.
“Over the years I have come to really believe in the power and potential of the Green Coast initiative.
“BCMM is often criticised for not having any Blue Flag beaches in the metro while Blue Flag is an excellent international eco-label with 33 very stringent criteria, it is not easy to achieve Blue Flag status,” she said.
Going forward Chintsa estuary will be building on their fishing gear disposal project, data collection, drone mapping coastline project and developing a biodiversity trail.
