Mountain Zebra- Camdeboo Corridor Project

 

In an unprecendented move in conservation, SANParks, the Wilderness Foundation, and many local privately owned reserves in the area (Mount Camdeboo being one of them) have come together in a proposed joint endeavour called the Mountain Zebra-Camdeboo Corridor Project. The purpose of the project is to create an uninterrupted protected wildlife area between the Camdeboo and Mountain Zebra National Parks in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. This area is particularly at risk, as it is home to three of the least protected biomes in the country - Nama Karoo, grassland and thicket. In fact, under 1% of the Nama Karoo biome is under official protection. This project will increase that amount substantially. 

 

This project is still in the works, but if it does get approved, it will result in a huge swath of land now being considered a protected environment (or PE). PEs help with conserving biodiversity because they create and uphold a set of guidelines that dictate how the protected land can be utilised. Restrictions for land use include:

 

1. No transformation of natural vegetation

2. No introduction of alien species

3. No mining

4. No dumping of waste outside of appropriately zoned areas

5. No activities adversely affecting the natural state of water resources

 

As a part of this initiative, we at Mount Camdeboo (and the Conservation Experience) have pledged to continue to do our part to help protect this unique region of South Africa.  You can read more about the initiative here.