SANParks' Corporate Social Investment Programmes

[Flutterby]

Date: 25th October 2012

The South African National Parks (SANParks) officially launched its first legacy Corporate Social Investment (CSI) project in the small village of Cork in Mpumalanga on the border of the Kruger National Park, today (25/10/2012).

The launch is part of SANParks' social ecology programme - initiated to re-orientate protected areas management away from an isolationist position towards an integrated approach. “It recognises the harmonious relationship our forefathers had with nature and their reliance on the gathering of natural resources for survival in a sustainable way,” said SANParks CEO,Dr. David Mabunda.

He spoke at the sod turning event of an administration block at Dumisani High School in Cork, Mpumalanga. The school situated on the border of the iconic Kruger National Park is the first beneficiary of the SANParks CSI project.

Dr. Mabunda said the new social ecology natural resource management approach ensured the establishment of a mutually beneficial partnership between local people and the neighbouring national parks, in pursuit of resource conservation use, and socio-economic development of local areas.“Fortress Conservation’s days are done and dusted. It is time for SANParks to give out - time to give back, for the cycle has turned and as happens when cycles turn, there’s very little you can do to stop it.”

He said as part of our new positioning and living up to our vision of ‘national parks - connecting to society’… “we are aligning and contributing to government’s mandate towards social development.”

According to Dr. Mabunda, a dedicated community levy*, introduced in 2011, was established to ensure SANParks' tangible benefit to communities living adjacent to national parks in bettering their livelihoods. In partnership with government departments, municipalities, local communities and other key stakeholders, “SANParks will invest resources in the establishment of legacy projects in communities, particularly in rural areas where our national parks are located.”

“These will include support through provision of required infrastructure and related resources in areas of education, youth development, health and other areas as identified with community stakeholders and relevant institutions.”

In conclusion Dr. Mabunda said that through these programmes and many others, SANParks will continue to develop reciprocal relationship between protected areas and neighbouring communities, making our national parks a true mirror of our society’s environmental values.


Issued by:
SANParks

For enquiries:
William Mabasa,
HOD: Public Relations and Communication,
Kruger National Park.
Tel: 013 735 4363, cell: 082 807 3919 or
email: william.mabasa@sanparks.org
Or
Ike Phaahla,
SANParks Media Specialist.
Tel: 012 426 5315 cell: 083 673 6974 or
email: Isaac.phaahla@sanparks.org

*Community Levy: 1% Community Levy on all reservations (overnight and activity products). The levy will be used to fund projects that support surrounding communities in bettering their livelihoods, creating health and education facilities and assisting in kick starting water and sanitation projects in the communities.

[Richprins]

The launch is part of SANParks' social ecology programme - initiated to re-orientate protected areas management away from an isolationist position towards an integrated approach. “It recognises the harmonious relationship our forefathers had with nature and their reliance on the gathering of natural resources for survival in a sustainable way,” said SANParks CEO,Dr. David Mabunda.

“Fortress Conservation’s days are done and dusted. It is time for SANParks to give out - time to give back, for the cycle has turned and as happens when cycles turn, there’s very little you can do to stop it.”

He said as part of our new positioning and living up to our vision of ‘national parks - connecting to society’… “we are aligning and contributing to government’s mandate towards social development.”


I wonder if he thinks up this crap over his morning cup of coffee?

Who exactly decided that "it is time to give back"....and what must be "given back"?

Can people of all races get something back?

[Richprins]

It recognises the harmonious relationship our forefathers had with nature and their reliance on the gathering of natural resources for survival in a sustainable way

That ship has sailed a long time ago...overpopulation put an end to that ideal!

[Richprins]

A recent study conducted in the Kruger National Park, under the direction of Prof Melville Saayman of the North-West University’s Potchefstroom Campus, has found that tourists visiting this park are prepared to pay more than R3 500 to see the Big Five.
Visitors indicated that they are prepared to pay R1 136,43 to see a leopard, R1 007,17 for a lion, R753,12 for a rhino, R658,91 for an elephant and R498,50 for a buffalo.
The Kruger National Park draws more than a million visitors every year and about 400 000 of these are overnight visitors. The park supports between 300 000 and 600 000 people living in its surrounding areas.

Done and Dusted.

[Penga Ndlovu]

A recent study conducted in the Kruger National Park, under the direction of Prof Melville Saayman of the North-West University’s Potchefstroom Campus, has found that tourists visiting this park are prepared to pay more than R3 500 to see the Big Five.
Visitors indicated that they are prepared to pay R1 136,43 to see a leopard, R1 007,17 for a lion, R753,12 for a rhino, R658,91 for an elephant and R498,50 for a buffalo.
The Kruger National Park draws more than a million visitors every year and about 400 000 of these are overnight visitors. The park supports between 300 000 and 600 000 people living in its surrounding areas.

Done and Dusted.

What a buch of hogwash

[Toko]

You can read here to get the broader context of SANParks CSI initiatives (Sustainable ressource use programmes, Legacy projects paid from the community levy and much more): REPORT ON CORPORATE SOCIAL INVESTMENT PROGRAMMES

BTW:
The establishment of computer centres at Masiza and Sindiswa high schools and other high schools around Mapungubwe NP Park are planned.

[Toko]

Conneting national parks to society or connecting society to biodiversity .... some thoughts

Yes, there is the need to connect .... but what Would it be about society’s understanding of connection with nature? Is there is a gap in conservation policy and practice? Or a gap in conservation delivery? National parks have to communicate that biodiversity is an environmental asset, a moral duty and an economic imperative. Biodiversity loss all over the world is critical with lots of species at the risk of extinction and the source of this biodiversity loss is 'society' (human society). So, yes, there is the need to connect society to biodiversity. Society has lost touch with nature and is not aware that we need healthy and thriving ecosystems in order to survive and feel content. The responsibility of national parks is to help make that connection. The imperative is to sustain habitats and species and to make that relevant to communities. The real challenge is that national parks must have a paradigm shift in thinking - start thinking about how to change society’s perception of biodiversity.

[Richprins]

Exactly! And one cannot say we are the ones applying 1st world Western concepts here...SP regularly quotes US and European models when it suits them!

[H. erectus]

“Fortress Conservation’s days are done and dusted.
It is time for SANParks to give out - time to give back, for the cycle has
turned and as happens when cycles turn, there’s very little you can do to stop it.”

A statement like this leaves for much thought lingering on!!!
I get the impression the Dr. cannot cope with this kind of pressure
and therefore would rather download the responsibility to public level!!

A real cheap method of public politics!!, and I itterate<_
"It is not for me to decide what the people think, let them
decide for themselves!!"

After all the park belongs to the people!!

[Richprins]

the cycle has
turned and as happens when cycles turn, there’s very little you can do to stop it

Interestingly, .gov itself rejected the initial EIA of the Malelane hotel, for example, and the parliamentary Portfolio Committee warned SanParks to revisit its commercialisation policy.

Not sure exactly what the "cycle" is...maybe nature's cycle?