Land transfer paves the way for mega reserve

More than 97 000 hectares of southern Cape state forest became part of South Africa's network of national parks on Friday.

The department of environmental affairs and tourism said this would pave the way for the Garden Route National Mega Reserve.

On signing the agreement, Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk and his water affairs and forestry counterpart, Buyelwa Sonjica, said it was one of the most exciting and significant conservation achievements in recent history.

"What we are doing today may well reshape the future of eco-tourism and economic growth in the southern Cape," Van Schalkwyk said in a statement.

He said the transfer of land would lay the foundations for the future establishment of a Garden Route Mega Reserve, encompassing the three areas already managed by SANParks - the Tsitsikamma and Wilderness National Parks and the Knysna National Lake Area - as well as new forests and other public and private conservation land.

The newly acquired land included 35 756 hectares of indigenous forests (the Farleigh, Diepwalle and Tsitsikamma estates), 35 638 hectares of mountain catchment area (mostly fynbos in the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma mountains) and 25 900 hectares of land currently under pine plantations.

Sonjica explained that the plantation would be cleared, rehabilitated and transferred to SANParks over the next 15 years.

"This transfer is part of the bigger process of putting the administration of our precious indigenous forests in the best possible hands. Indigenous forest covers less than one percent of South Africa and the Knysna/Tsitsikamma forest is the jewel in the crown, the largest single natural forest in South Africa," she said.

She said that while her department would maintain an oversight role of the forests, they would be transferring the budget for the management of the forests to SANParks as well as 124 staff.

Addressing the biological importance of the area, David Mabunda, Chief Executive of SANParks, said that South Africa's forests covered less than one percent of the country's area and were in need of protection.

"We have, for many years, worked towards the goal of ensuring that all of South Africa's seven biomes are represented in the national parks of our country. At less than one percent of our surface area, the forest biome is the smallest of these and until today, no really significant portions of the forest biome have been included under SANParks management," he said.

Van Schalkwyk said although the areas would be used for conservation purposes they would still be accessible under controlled conditions to the public for recreational and commercial uses.