Environmental Officer / Conservation Officer Duties

1. Organization

The Environmental Officer’s position forms part of the Executive Committee of SABAA and reports to the President of the Organisation and has the power of one vote on subject related issues.

2. Environmental Management System

2.1 General Requirements

The Environmental Officer:

  1. Identifies the processes needed for the environmental management system and its application throughout the organization.
  2. Determines the sequence and interaction of these processes.
  3. Determines criteria and methods needed to ensure that both the operation and control of these processes are effective.
  4. Ensures the identification of resources and information necessary to support the operation and monitoring of these processes.
  5. Monitors, measures and analyses these processes.
  6. Implement actions necessary to achieve planned results and continual improvement of these processes.

2.2 Environmental Policy and Environmental Objectives

The Environmental policy and Environmental objectives are stated in the following Acts and Regulations:

  1. Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act, 1998 (Act 43 of 1998)
  2. Land Use Management Bill, 2003
  3. Marine living Resources Act, (Act 18 of 1998)
  4. National Environmental Management Act, (Act 107 of 1998)
  5. National Environmental Management: Biodiversity (Act 10 of 2004)
  6. National Environmental: Protected Areas (Act 57 of 2003)
  7. National Forests Act (Act 84 of 1998)
  8. National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998)

All Environmental records and reports are maintained and controlled by the Environmental Officer.

2.3 Management responsibility

The Environmental Officer provides evidence of commitment to the development and implementation of the Environmental management system and continually improving its effectiveness by:

  1. Communicating to members the importance of meeting Association as well as statutory and regulatory requirements through Environmental awareness training.
  2. Adhering to the established Environmental policy and Environmental objectives as stated in the  Acts and Regulations.
  3. Conducting reviews through physical and statistical evaluation annually.
  4. Requesting resources through interpretation and implementation of The Environmental policy and Environmental objectives as stated in the Acts and Regulations.

3. Responsibility and Authority

SABAA has appointed one Executive Environmental Officer who, irrespective of other responsibilities, has responsibility and authority that includes:

  1. Ensuring that Environmental objectives are established at relevant functions and levels within the organization.
  2. Ensuring that processes needed for the Environmental system are established implemented and maintained.
  3. Reporting to the Association on the performance of the Environmental system and submit proposals towards any need for improvement.
  4. Ensuring the promotion of Environmental awareness throughout the organization through training.
  5. Liaison with Governmental Departments on matters relating to the Environment.
  6. Implements, Co-ordinates and manages a National Environmental officers forum for each division, Province and Chapter.

4. Management review

SABAA reviews the organization’s Environmental system, annually, to ensure its continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness.  This review includes assessing opportunities for improvement and the need for changes to the Environmental system, including Environmental objectives.

5. Measurement, analysis and improvement

The Environmental Officer:

  1. Conducts measurement and analysis of environmental data.
  2. Reports results of measurement and analysis of environmental data to SABAA.
  3. Plans measurement and analysis of environmental data annually.

6. Structure

The Conservation Officers Management Structure will be as shown below:

Conservation Officers will communicate with Conservation Authorities Personnel at required levels, such as Divisional, Provincial and Chapter levels.