SOUTHERN AFRICAN PEACE PARKS

Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation and Development Area

On 11 June 2001 the governments of the Kingdom of Lesotho and South Africa signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation and Development Area, which covers about 13 000 km² and includes the uKhahlamba Drakensberg World Heritage Site. The area has spectacular scenery and is an important centre of endemism for montane plant species. The mountains, with their highest peak Thaba Ntlenyana rising to 3 482m, are of exceptional beauty and are home to the world's greatest outdoor gallery, containing the largest and most concentrated group of rock paintings in Africa south of the Sahara. There are some 600 known sites containing between 35 - 40 000 individual images, which were painted by the San people over a period of at least 4 000 years. The area is furthermore the most important water catchment area for the people of Lesotho and South Africa.

Progress

The Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation and Development Project (MDTP) is a collaborative initiative between the Kingdom of Lesotho and the Republic of South Africa to protect the exceptional biodiversity of the Drakensberg and Maloti mountains through conservation, sustainable resource, land-use and development planning. The project, which began in 2003, is funded by the Global Environment Facility, with the World Bank as the implementing agency. On a bilateral request from the Governments of Lesotho and South Africa, as well as in compliance with the signing of a new MoU during 2008, spending of the funding for this project has been extended to December 2009. The extension of the project includes the phasing in of a more permanent management and development role for implementing agents of both governments, coordinated by country specific coordinators and a bilateral steering committee chaired by senior managers (Principal Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture (MTEC) Lesotho and Director TFCA Affairs, Department of Environmental Affairs (DEAT) South Africa) from the Ministries of Environment in each country. Phase 2 of MDTP is governed by a well-documented 20-year strategy that was compiled and approved by both governments during phase 1.

At the request of the Lesotho government, Peace Parks Foundation has been funding the post of the Lesotho TFCA facilitator since May 2000. In 2004, the Lesotho government requested the Foundation's further assistance with projects initiated by the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture. Sehlabathebe National Park is Lesotho's primary component of the MDTP, with important reference also now given to Senqu Sources (source of the Orange River) and Sani Top (extensive wetland systems) as well as the Bokong and Tslehlanyane Nature Reserves in the MDTP region. Important extensions of the MDTP area towards the south of Lesotho, with special reference to the lake areas at Letseng la Letsie (“lake Letsie”) will form important focal points in the near future. The Foundation is supporting the development of management and tourism plans for the extended areas, as well as its infrastructural development in order to turn them into a major tourist attraction.

Peace Parks Foundation took pride in the fact that the first contract - to construct the entrance gate and arrival centre at Sehlabathebe National Park - was awarded to local communities and construction was completed during 2007. Due to the technical skills needed for the development of infrastructure related to the new Maloti Environmental Center in the Park, work was contracted to professional contractors, with the specific instruction to utilise local skills and labour wherever possible.

The Foundation assisted in the formulation and development of the joint management plan for the first proposed transfrontier park involving Lesotho, namely the Maloti Drakensberg Transfrontier Park (uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site / Sehlabathebe National Park) [MD TP (UDP/SNP)]. Formal declaration of this milestone transfrontier park is planned for 2009. One of the main outcomes of the formal relationships between SNP and UDP is the donation and installation of two-way radio communication between Garden Castle Game Reserve (UDP) and SNP, and a well-established working agreement for fire management across the border.

The Foundation also assisted in the sponsoring and training of four young women from the Sehlabathebe Village at the SA College for Tourism in Graaff-Reinet (South Africa) and is presently seeking funding to train game guards for Sehlabathebe National Park. Training will include a course at the Southern African Wildlife College at Hoedspruit.

Current projects

From 2006 to 2008 Dr Gideon Groenewald, the Lesotho TFCA Programme Manager, supported by Peace Parks Foundation, assisted the Foundation's consultants and the MDTP Lesotho Project Coordination Unit to draft both the management plan and the action plan for Sehlabathebe National Park (SNP). The latter plan has been funded by the Dutch National Postcode Lottery. With the completion of the management plan for SNP as well as the joint management plan for the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Park (SNP/UDP WHS TFP), work is now in progress to assist the Government of Lesotho with several actions related to Phase 2 of the MDTP programme.

Tourism development forms an important part of the strategic planning for the MDTP region and the Foundation is assisting with advising consultants as well as the monitoring and editing of reports by consultants appointed by the Lesotho government. One of the main areas of concern is the Senqu Sources as well as the upper reaches of the Khubelu River. These sensitive areas need careful conservation planning and, with several proposed high impact projects, including a cable way on the Drakensberg Escarpment, the area needs serious intervention from international conservation organisations to safeguard the natural beauty, albeit taking into account the need for community development.

A tourism development project known as the Maloti Triangle Route, which includes Underberg and Himeville in South Africa, the Sani Pass, Matebeng Pass and Sehlabathebe National Park in Lesotho, was proposed by Peace Parks Foundation and has Cabinet support in Lesotho.

On special request of the Council for Traditional Leaders of the Batlokoa Tribe in the Witsieshoek area of Qwaqwa, South Africa, and with support from the MDTP team and DEAT in South Africa, the Foundation facilitated a historic cooperation agreement between the Batlokoa Traditional Council in Witsieshoek and an international tourism operator for the management and operation of the existing community owned Witsieshoek Resort in Qwaqwa. This agreement will be the first working agreement that falls under the umbrella of the “Boundless Southern Africa” initiative of nine Southern African governments - to promote tourism in the TFCA regions and benefit outlying communities during and after the 2010 FIFA World Cup Soccer bonanza.

Another interesting project of the Foundation's in Lesotho involves a special request by His Majesty King Letsie III to assist with the development of an interest in classical music and to involve the young people of the Kingdom of Lesotho in transfrontier musical programmes with South African music academies. The Foundation facilitated a very successful “Evening of Classical Music at the Palace” during February 2009 and is presently assisting in the planning of a follow-up for February 2010. The aim of these concerts is to develop the musical skills of specifically Basotho children, preferably from the Transfrontier Park, directly affected by the impact of HIV and AIDS (mostly orphans) and to present them with an alternative to their present situation.

Lesotho TFCA Programme Manager

Since 2001 Dr Gideon Groenewald has been contractually appointed by the Peace Parks Foundation as facilitator in Lesotho for the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Development and related projects. He is mainly involved in developing responsible tourism in Lesotho and the border regions of South Africa.

Dr Groenewald, a geological consultant, has extensive experience in geological mapping, as well as groundwater-related, environmental education, and eco-tourism projects in the rural and farming regions of Southern Africa.