South Africa: New nature reserve opens in KwaZulu-Natal!

KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa is home to a new nature reserve. The 6 500-hectare Northern Drakensberg Nature Reserve in the Drakensberg mountains, which was formally gazetted on 18 April 2024, connects the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park in KwaZulu-Natal to the Sterkfontein Nature Reserve in the Free State.  
The grasslands in the new nature reserve include some of South Africa's most endangered vegetation types, such as the Income Sandy Grassland and the Mabela Sandy Grassland. It is also an important high altitude water catchment area, which straddles the border of the Orange River basin – the largest water resource in South Africa. ´
The Northern Drakensberg Nature Reserve is made up of 19 properties owned by 11 private landowners. It includes several established resorts which have been welcoming holidaymakers for decades. The new nature reserve will be managed by the Northern Drakensberg Landowners Association under a 10-year protected area management plan which is a legal requirement of the declaration. The management of the nature reserve aims to integrate environmental protection with ongoing economic activities and works with communities, instead of excluding them from the protected area.