Conservationists hail transfrontier area: New region will include land from SA, Zimbabwe and Mozambique
Date: 22 Sep 2004
Source: Peace Parks FoundationAuthor: Sheree Russouw
JOHANNESBURG — Conservationists are rejoicing that land around the Kruger National Park will be incorporated into one of the largest conservation areas in the world.
Authorities will soon start taking down 120km of fences separating the Kruger Park and Mozambique. This will allow wildlife to migrate freely across the border within the area of the planned transfrontier area surrounding the park, known as the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area. This second phase will incorporate the transfrontier park and form a massive protected area to safeguard fauna and flora over 100 000km2.
The area will be one of the world`s largest havens for wild animals and the presidents of the three countries have promised that the money flowing from ecotourism will be used to benefit neighbouring communities, many of which are impoverished. The transfrontier area is aimed at cementing peace and regional cooperation between South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, promoting tourism, and opening up ecosystems where wildlife can migrate naturally. This expansion is expected to include national parks, private game parks and conservancies, safari hunting areas, government-controlled hunting areas, ecotourism development areas and communal land to form a "worldclass ecotourism destination`; says Marthinus van Schalkwyk, minister of environmental affairs and tourism. The Greater Limpopo transfrontier conservation area will include:
• National parks, including the Banhine and Gonarezhou in Zimbabwe, Kruger, and Limpopo and Zinave in Mozambique;
• Private game parks located mainly next to Kruger in South Africa;
• Private conservancies, including Malilangwe in Zimbabwe;
• Safari hunting areas under the control of rural district councils and local communities, including Mahenya, Manjinji and Malipati in Zimbabwe;
• Government-controlled hunting concessions including Coutada 4 and 5 in Mozambique;
• Proposed ecotourism development areas including the Mapulanguene area in Mozambique; and
• Communal areas including the Sengwe corridor in Zimbabwe and vast areas in Mozambique.
Realising the project will take years, South Africa will spearhead developments this year when fences between private game reserves west of Kruger and the park will be taken down. Danie Pienaar, head of scientific services at Kruger Park, says parks officials are starting consultations with local governments and private and community landowners about incorporating their land into the transfrontier area.
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Sheree Russouw
ThisDay - 22 September 2004