TUESDAY, 15 AUGUST 2006: New
areas for conservation and new opportunities for
the communities living adjacent to the Addo Elephant
National Park were opened up today by Minister
Marthinus van Schalkwyk with the official opening
of the new southern access road in the Park.
Speaking from the 75th Year Celebrations of the
Addo Elephant National Park (AENP) in the Eastern
Cape, the Minister announced the opening of the
new road linking the new gate at the AENP’s Camp
Matyholweni, near the town of Colchester on the
N2, to the existing tourist roads in the Park.
“The construction of this new
access road was made possible by a R33 million
poverty relief grant by the Department of Environmental
Affairs & Tourism,” said Minister Van Schalkwyk.
“Employment created through this construction
directly benefited previously unemployed local
community members and the community of Colchester
will continue to benefit from this development
with the influx of tourists through this southern
access road.”
The opening of the new road
signifies yet another achievement in the expansion
and development of the Addo Elephant National
Park. “Through new land incorporated into the
Park, it has grown to one of the most biologically
diverse protected areas in the country,” said
Dr. David Mabunda , Chief Executive of South African
National Parks (SANParks).
“Today we celebrate 75 years
of success in the three core pillars of SANParks:
conservation, tourism and people & conservation,”
added Mabunda. “The Addo Elephant National Park
has been transformed from an area proclaimed for
the conservation of a single species to one conserving
the unique biodiversity of the Eastern Cape, while
providing real benefits for local communities
and stakeholders.”
The Addo Elephant National Park
stretches from the karoo near Somerset East to
the coastal areas between Sundays River Mouth
and Bushman’s River Mouth. In addition, the Park
includes the Bird and St. Croix Islands in Algoa
Bay, incorporating a vital marine component.
Five of South Africa’s seven
biomes - or major vegetation types with associated
animal species - are conserved within the Park,
creating a myriad of habitats for wildlife, landscapes
and experiences.
“From proclamation in 1931,
the Park has grown from just over 2,000 hectares
to 164 000 hectares today,” said Park Manager,
Lucius Moolman. Moolman added that the Park had
shown tremendous growth in tourism, attracting
over 140 000 visitors annually and acting as a
tourism hub for the region.
Plans for the future include
an expansion goal of 236 000 hectares of terrestrial
conservation area, with a proposed associated
120 000 hectare Marine Protected Area (MPA) in
Algoa Bay. Plans for the proposed MPA will first
be subjected to a rigorous public participation
process to ensure concerns of local communities
and stakeholders are taken into account.
Once expansion is complete,
Addo Elephant National Park will be the third
largest of South Africa’s National Parks with
an unequalled offering of biodiversity and experiences.
Riaan Aucamp (Ministry)
Megan Bradfield (AENP)
