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This paper evaluates the outcomes from an ambitious wildflower harvesting programme in South Africa's Western Cape, which has sought to achieve positive outcomes in terms of socio-economic development and biodiversity conservation. Indigenous wildflowers, harvested according to conservation principles, are processed into ‘Cape Flora’ bouquets and sold into international and domestic markets. The principal supply chain provides an example of ethical trade due to the explicit environmental and social standards that are required at local sites of production. The incorporation of such standards represents an attempt to engender economic and social upgrading within the value chain. In this sense, the programme is consistent with dominant policy discourses, which suggest that exploiting potentially profitable niches within international trade flows represents a ‘high road’ to economic growth and transformation. The paper focuses upon the job creation and social impacts of the programme in the context of efforts to overcome South Africa's deeply entrenched socio-economic disparities and high poverty levels. Despite impressive growth in production and exports during the global financial crisis, there have been mixed outcomes in terms of benefits to stakeholders at the upstream end of the supply chain. The paper concludes by considering the extent to which local initiatives operating under the framework of ethical trade possess the potential to facilitate effective social and economic upgrading.

Post-apartheid South Africa is characterized by considerable spatial and social inequality and high levels of poverty and unemployment, particularly among historically disadvantaged groups. Since 1994, there has been much attention given to fostering local economic development (LED) to promote empowerment, job creation, economic growth and community development, with a primary focus on broad-based Black Economic Empowerment. However, LED initiatives have achieved mixed success, with many projects foundering after optimism in their early stages. Focusing on South Africa's Western Cape Province, with its species-rich Cape Floristic Region, this paper examines LED experience in relation to the concept of the ‘biodiversity economy’, which has received considerable attention recently among South African environmental bodies. The paper focuses specifically on operationalizing the biodiversity economy concept through the implementation of a ‘sustainable wild flower harvesting code of practice’ on the Agulhas Plain, where local communities, supported by transnational companies, are harvesting and marketing wild flowers to retailers in South Africa and the UK. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

The quinoline ring is present in a number of natural and synthetic products often exhibiting interesting pharmacological activities or physical properties. Different synthetic approaches for the preparation of quinolines have been reported; the Friedl nder reaction (FR) being one of the simplest and most efficient methods. FR is a baseor acid-catalyzed condensation of an aromatic 2-amino-substituted carbonyl compound (aldehyde or ketone) with a carbonyl derivative containing a reactive a-methylene group followed by cyclodehydration (Scheme 1). Generally, the annulation takes place