26/04/2024
It’s gazetted! It’s official!
Last week we reserved the news!
The Northern Drakensberg Nature Reserve (NDNR), 6500ha linking the Royal Natal National Park to the Sterkfontein Nature Reserve in the Free State.
What a long road, 2018 we started pushing the idea, so 6 years of drinking coffee, beer and braai, over and over and over and over and over again. Some land owners are very happy and excited to be part of a project like this to truly leave something for the next generation.
So as mentioned above. The Northern Drakensberg is officially gazetted and is now a proper real Nature Reserve, no more pipe dream, no more hot air around a braai, it's real.
For the few that don't know where we are located. The Northern Drakensberg Nature Reserve has become a link between the Royal Natal Nature Reserve, Poccolan Nature Reserve and Sterkfontein Nature Reserve. These are all state owned and managed land, we are now in the middle of all of this.
Most people will look at a place like Kruger Park and would think ''yes that needs projecting ''. This is true can't deny that, what many people don't know the importance of the Drakensberg grassland or any grassland in the world. The biodiversity in grassland is unbelievable
The Drakensberg is a critical water source for South-Africa and now the old somewhat still working Tugela-Vaal water sceam is protected at the source.
Short summary
Purpose of the NDNR
In summary, there are five main reasons for the declaration of the
NDNR.
1. Essential for conservation of species.
2. Important for conservation of Vulnerable Northern KwaZuluNatal
Moist Grassland and other key Drakensberg vegetation types.
3. Important consolidation for Royal Natal and Sterkfontein
Nature Reserve (Free State).
4. Important for protecting Ecosystem services, especially
water provision.
5. Important for the conservation of cultural heritage,
“Our work is to create beauty, to make the land more fertile, to make our living and to leave the world better than when we first came into it.” - Bill Carte, 1941
