ENVIRONMENT
PROTECTING OUR TRAILS & ENVIRONMENT
INTRODUCTION
The global success of ultra-distance trail running is primarily due to the combination of running, adventure and travel. Beyond the simple athletic performance, more and more individuals flock to this sport because it is an invitation to travel the world and discover beautiful landscapes in a preserved environment.
It is with this in mind the race was born in 2014 thanks to the work done by the teams at Table Mountain National Park and RMB Ultra-trail Cape Town®. The concept of the race hinged around the magnificent natural and urban settings Table Mountain National Park and the City of Cape Town have on offer, and the unique way different communities can be joined together by a route that traverses the mountainscapes of Table Mountain National Park.
RMB Ultra-trail Cape Town® takes place predominantly on the trails of the Table Mountain National Park and its surrounds. The National Park is a fragile natural environment that we need to ensure we protect and maintain in the pristine way in which it is intended. In order to do so, we count on each and every runner to play their part when running on the mountain and trails to limit the impact on the environment to an absolute minimum.
We have developed numerous methods to protect the natural environment and to raise awareness amongst all involved with the event. This is a collective effort that involves working with our partners SANParks, Table Mountain National Park, the City of Cape Town and the International Trail Running Association, as well as the runners and supporters, sponsors and volunteers.
To ensure the sustainability of the event and the trails the event takes place on, RMB Ultra-trail Cape Town® has set out a strategic plan that seeks to commit to the following protocols:
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Link with like-minded suppliers and service providers who practise ethical environmental policies.
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Enhanced waste management.
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Promote responsible water use.
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Promote and favour group travel.
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Inform and educate people at the event to be a part of sustainable practices.
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Encourage and increase the purchase of local, ethical, sustainable goods and services.
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Protect and conserve the natural environment.
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Encourage participants to become ambassadors and to advocate the protection and conservation of the natural environment.
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Communicate sustainable values to our partners, sponsors and runners.
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Develop the appreciation of the natural environment with the social and cultural values of the area.
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Increase awareness and visibility of the environmental diversity in the Table Mountain National Park.
In order to achieve real benefits, it is essential that all parties work together towards sustaining the natural environment with a focus on trail preservation, by improving and maintaining the trails and environment in which the event passes through. This ensures we provide a safe route for all participants, as well as enjoyment of the trail by the growing numbers of the general public who spend time hiking and running all year round.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHARTER
In 2017, we hosted representatives from the various environmental organisations, groups, and trail running community to put together an Environmental Charter. We, the participants, organisers and service providers of trail running events, acknowledge the beauty and value of the natural environments in which these events take place and recognise that running through these places is a privilege. We realise the importance of maintaining the integrity of these environments and undertake to act as guardians and ambassadors for the environment, both locally and globally.
ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNERS
FOTM is a public, mountain users’ forum with the following purpose: To ensure the appropriate management of Table Mountain National Park by the assigned management authority in the best interests of ecology, recreational use and eco-tourism in keeping with the Park's founding principles of an urban national park.
The Sugarbird Group's mission is to protect and preserve the unique biodiversity of the Cape Floral Kingdom (fynbos).
To achieve this they remove Invasive Alien Plant species that are threatening the fynbos and the delicate ecosystem.
Sugarbird Project is entirely funded by donations and are a registered public benefit organisation based in Cape Town, South Africa.
"UTCT is a partner and collaborates with FOTM by providing support and funding for trail rehabilitation on TMNP. In addition, FOTM partners with the Sugarbird Project that is performing the critical task of removing invasive alien vegetation from TMNP. If you would like to support these 2 organizations please see links below" - Sugarbird Project
WE SUPPORT ITRA'S
GREEN PROGRAM
ITRA’s program seeks to encourage the trail running community to join forces, working together to reduce the environmental impact of our sport. The responsibility rests with each of us. By being eco-responsible, we hope that trail running can make a positive contribution to environmental conservation and educate the public on the need to be mindful of the impact of our activities on the planet.
3 CORE OBJECTIVES
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LESSEN THE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT
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CARBON REDUCTION
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WASTE REDUCTION
WE COMMIT TO
TAKING RESPONSIBILITY
We acknowledge that all our activities have an impact on the natural environment. Through trail running, we come into close contact with nature, and we have the opportunity to minimise the negative impacts of this activity on the environment and to proactively assist with and support the conservation of natural environments, the restoration of ecosystems and responsible stewardship of the earth.
We understand that, as the trail running community, we can effect change by taking responsibility for the natural environments. We accept this responsibility to care for the environments in which we live, work and run, both local landscapes and global systems.
A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO WASTE
We commit to the principle of taking out what we bring in. This involves ensuring that no waste is left behind when we leave natural environments, including solid waste and human waste, and that adequate systems are in place and utilised to effectively manage waste in these environments. We commit to considering the full life-cycle costs of all goods and services used during and in the organisation of the events, and to prioritising goods and services that are sustainably and locally produced and result in minimal waste. We will also seek to reuse and recycle waste wherever possible.
REDUCING EMISSIONS
We undertake to minimise the impact of trail running on the global natural environment. This includes reducing our contribution to climate change through greenhouse gas emissions by promoting sustainable procurement processes, minimising waste, reducing travel on aeroplanes and single-occupancy vehicles and using public and non-motorised transport where possible. We also undertake to reduce any other sources of greenhouse gas emissions and pollution associated with these events as far as possible.
ACTIVELY LEARNING
We commit to being open to the experience of being in these places, to seeking to learn about them and engage with them, and to teaching and sharing what we learn and experience with others, using the opportunity that nature provides to engage with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
TREADING LIGHTLY
We commit to always being conscious of the impacts of trail running on the ecological systems we use, and to responding to these risks by managing when, where and how we use them. We will also seek to “tread lightly on the planet” and to ensure that we do not exceed the capacity of these environments to support our activities.
SUPPORTING CONSERVATION
We commit to respecting those who manage and conserve natural environments and protected areas, learning from them, assisting them where possible and conscientiously obeying the rules they put in place. We undertake to act generously in supporting conservation efforts and, if possible, to volunteer our time and energy to support this cause.
RESTORATION
Recognising that it is impossible to completely avoid impact on the natural systems, we commit to strive to ensure that trail running events take responsibility to facilitate the restoration of environmental damage incurred during the event and leave the environment in which they occurred in a better state than they were before the event started.
SHARING INSPIRATION
We seek to be ambassadors of the environment, to share the inspiration we find in nature with others and, through our attitudes and actions, to encourage them to care for the environment.
We understand that conservation of the environment cannot and should not be independent of caring for people. To ensure that we are able to pass on the full benefits of the natural environment to future generations, we need to consider the effects of our actions on human development and social justice as well as on the natural environment.