HERITAGE PARK GETS MOMENTUM
Willie Boonzaaier, Rustenburg
The appointment of the new Heritage Park Manager Mr Sam Mochine coincides with the announcement of the North West Parks and Tourism Board that more than 50,000 hectares have been committed to conservation within the Heritage Park corridor.
The Heritage Park concept was conceived over a period of time leading up to 2003, when the North West Parks and Tourism Board commissioned a formal study into the potential feasibility of linking Pilanesberg National Park (PILANESBERG) with Madikwe Game Reserve (MADIKWE).
This study resulted in a Concept Plan for the Heritage Park which had as its vision an eventual corridor that would link the 47,000 ha PILANESBERG with the 62,000 ha MADIKWE over an attractive 172,000 ha stretch of bushveld, to eventually form a Big Five game reserve of well over 250,000 ha. The North West Province endorsed the project, now being recognized as one of the priority projects within the provincial Growth and Development Strategy.
The 47,000 ha PILANESBERG was established in 1979, followed by MADIKWE in 1990. Although MADIKWE always had a policy of allowing neighbouring private and community properties to be incorporated with the area formally protected by the province, less than 5,000 ha was incorporated over a period of 15 years, up to 2005. In 2002 the NWPTB also adopted a policy of land incorporation for PILANESBERG and in 2005, the first land measuring 1,700 ha was incorporated with PILANESBERG.
AT the Heritage Park Steering Committee meeting held on 25 November 2006, the project manager for the Heritage Park Mr Willie Boonzaaier announced that commitments had been made by private and community land owners within the Heritage Park corridor to convert more than 50,000 ha of their land to conservation.
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Heritage Park Land Incorporation Progress Map. Source: Contour Project Managers |
Kgosi Pilane, representing the Bakgatla Ba Kgafela tribal administration and the community north of PILANESBERG said that his people have seen substantial developments taking place on the doorstep, such as Sun City and PILANESBERG. These developments have stimulated a new tourism-based economy to supplement mining as the main economic drivers for the region. The Bakgatla community were now ready to develop similar tourism products on their own land. At a public meeting, the community voted in favour of establishing a 35,000 ha Big Five game reserve which will form a key part of the Heritage Park. This development also provides a new central springboard almost central to the corridor that will allow growth back towards PILANESBERG and MADIKWE, thus accelerating the rate of converting former cattle grazing land to eco-tourism.
Oscar Lockwood, chair of the Madikwe East Land Owners Association also confirmed that they have fenced and developed a game reserve in excess of 15,000 ha adjoining MADIKWE in the east across the Marico River. He reiterated their willingness to enter into an agreement with the NWPTB to incorporate their land with MADIKWE, provided the NWPTB could satisfy them on certain spatial arrangements along the common boundary both sides of the Marico River and the future management of big impact species currently hosted in MADIKWE. Mr Lockwood said their game reserve is “already dressed like a bride, ready for the marriage”.
Mr Gabriel Mokgoko, chair of the Heritage Park Steering Committee said that if these two properties could be developed as currently envisaged, it will be a major boost for the Heritage Park project and give the initiative the necessary impetus to entice other land owners to make up their mind regarding participation in the Heritage Park.
The Heritage Park Manager Mr Mochine said that these were only the first two groups of land owners to declare their commitment. Negotiations with other land owners are progressing well and further exciting announcements could be expected in the foreseeable future.
