DURBAN - Andrew Zaloumis, the chief executive of iSimangaliso Wetland park has been honoured with a major international award for his “outstanding commitment to conservation and visionary management.”
Zaloumis, who was nominated by UNESCO for the award by the German bank KfW Stiftung, receive the KfW-Bernhard-Grzimek-Preis for his ground-breaking work in people-centred conservation if one of South Africa’s poorest regions.
“In taking World heritage conservation to a whole new level, Andrew Zaloumis has given hope to and inspire by the youth of iSimangaliso and his World Heritage peers around the world,” Dr Fanny Douvere, co-ordinator of the UNESCO Marine Programme in Paris said at the ceremony.
Bernhard Grzimek was a renowed German conservationist and the award presented to Zaloumis on Wednesday night marked the 30th anniversary of his death.
“Andrew Zaloumis’; approach to restoration of major ecosystems and its wildlife and sustainable management of natural resources is forward-looking and blazes a trail for many similar areas,” said Dr Lutz-Christian Funke of the board of KfW Stiftung.
Under the direction of Zaloumis, iSimangaliso Wetland Park became South Africa’s first UNESCO World heritage site. It is one of the eight most important biodiversity hot-spots on the plant.