A new land
reform law in the country
aims to strike a balance between conservation and community development. The
reforms seek to restore property taken from some 3.5
million South Africans during the apartheid era. Large
areas of national park; as well
as some farms and primate
game reserves, will be returned to their original owners.
The government is trying
to involve local people in
managing national parks
while maintaining their conservation status. Some of the
sanctuaries will be conserved
as "contractual national
parks", where the core
wilderness areas will be
under the control of the government's National Parks
Board, while the owners of
surrounding areas will be
given contracts to manage
their land in a way which
complements the board's
conservation work.
According to Derek Hanekom, South Africa's minister
for land affairs, ecotourism
could induce rural communities to conserve wildlife on
their land if they receive a
share of the revenue which
otherwise goes straight to the
government or private safari
operators or hotqls. One
such scheme is alreally under
way in the Richtersveld,
where the local community
owns the land in the West
Coast national part, but
conservation powers are held
by the National Panal Board.
But both are involved in
making management decisions. Consequently, grazing
has been curbed in the park
and the local people receive
compensation for limiting
livestock numbers.
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