Eden to Addo

Corridor Initiative

The Eden to Addo Corridor Initiative is an NGO aimed at linking three mega-reserves by means of natural corridors to connect, protect, and restore the bio-diversity and eco-systems within each.

Nature conservationists and scientists place great emphasis on how the development of land for farming, industrial, and urban needs has isolated wild populations, causing genetic in-breeding and extinction thanks to a lack of natural diversity and cross-pollination across expansive wild regions.

Landowners and stakeholders help identify and develop a living corridor from Eden to Addo by applying sound land-use practices for the benefit of biodiversity, and to the ultimate benefit of extended communities that live across these regions.

Our climate change crises brings the important lesson that the welfare of humanity lies in the hands of nature, and that nature’s wellness lies in the hands of humanity. Without taking pro-active steps to accommodate and protect nature’s sustainable ecosystems, communities most reliant on its existence are already suffering the worst consequences.

By connecting the Western and Eastern Cape of South Africa, the Eden to Addo Corridor Initiative reaches for the ultimate dream of rehabilitating the habitat to such an extent that one day ancient elephant migration routes across the Cape could be re-established, their presence indicative of a healthy and sustainable ecosystem containing the diversity of wildlife which used to thrive across this region.

Land Art Trail

The Eden to Addo Corridor Initiative is creating a land art route in collaboration with Site_Specific.

In 2011 Simon Max Bannister created ‘Aartmoeders’ (a rock installation depicting three elephants) near Kranshoek, and in 2013 Strijdom van der Merwe installed ‘Calling the Herd’ (an interactive sound artwork) on an ancient elephant migratory route along the Keurbooms Corridor. In 2015, Anni Snyman will be creating the next art work along the route.

These land art works celebrate the founding of the various conservation inviting artists to contribute to the conversation, and help realise the eventual dream of elephants once again walking along these routes in the future.

For the Eden to Addo Corridor Initiative to be successful, it needs the support and buy-in of local communities interested in regaining their natural heritage. In 2013 Erica Lüttich completed an arts residency called ‘Running Fences’ – a collaborative enterprise involving community members across and beyond the BITOU municipality region in Plettenberg Bay.

Site_Specific is thrilled and proud to be part of this important initiative of the first ever landart route in South Africa.