Inspired by the International Congress of Entomology, diamond-miner De Beers, with the support of Nicky Oppenheimer and Strilli Oppenheimer, has announced that the De Beers Diamond Route plans to develop the world's first ‘Insect Route'.

The congress, which took place in Durban last year, highlighted humankind's dependence on insects for survival and the fascinating role that insects play. The Diamond Route, which is an umbrella organisation supporting and promoting ecology, heritage and ecotourism on the properties surrounding De Beers' diamond mines, is striving to change the perception of insects in an ecotourism development programme in line with the company's commitment to conservation.

De Beers group chairperson Nicky Oppenheimer has said: "Conservation is as much about people as it is about conserving our heritage for generations to come."

The stewardship of environmental resources is core to De Beers' commitment to sustainability as diamond-mining affects the environment directly through its need to access, use and manage land and water resources. The eight sites, which form the Diamond Route, are used for research and ecotourism.

The company's established record in the field of wildlife conservation includes an existing collaboration with the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) at the Venetia Limpopo nature reserve, where the EWT undertakes conservation, research, education and training at the reserve. The focus of current research at the reserve is on wild dogs, which are considered extinct in 23 countries in Africa and highly endangered in other countries. Their total free-ranging population is between 3 000 and 5 000.

The reserve is situated close to the confluence of the Shashe and Limpopo rivers, which form the international boundaries between South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. It is about 360 km2 in size and is home to four of the Big Five, with only the buffalo not found in the park. The Venetia mine itself is situated within the confines of the reserve.

Intensifying global concerns about the planet's sustainability means that sustainable development, in conjunction with socioeconomic upliftment, is becoming more essential. As a result, mining companies are broadening their responsibilities to active participation in environmental actions. De Beers has moved from decades of mining before biodiversity was taken into account, to incorporating biodiversity management into its ISO 14001 environmental management systems at its operations.

The company is working towards incorporating biodiversity in exploration and project planning, with its primary aims being the conservation of biodiversity, restoring natural ecological processes and developing ecologically and economically viable land use practices so as to provide benefits and opportunities for the region and its people.

All the company's reserves, as well as some of its associated research partnerships, are managed as a business unit through the company's ecology division.

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