The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has officially proclaimed South Africa's newest protected conservation territory. The declaration establishes the Grasslands National Park across 10,225 hectares of high-altitude highlands in the Eastern Cape.
The proclamation was published in Government Gazette No. 55531 under Government Notice No. 8002 following ministerial sign-off by Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister David Maynier.
Eighteen registered properties situated between the mountain hamlet of Rhodes and Nqanqarhu form the core reserve. The boundary safeguards one of the country's most ecologically threatened and least protected biomes.
Under Section 38(1)(aA) of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act 57 of 2003, statutory management authority for the park is assigned directly to South African National Parks.
The milestone marks the first time a South African national park operates primarily through a biodiversity stewardship model. Private landowners retain legal title over their farms while entering binding long-term conservation agreements that permit compatible livestock grazing and eco-tourism.
A biodiversity stewardship agreement is a formal legal contract between landowners and conservation authorities that establishes statutory environmental protections on privately held property without state expropriation.
Under the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act 57 of 2003, declared nature reserves and protected environments restrict destructive developments such as commercial strip-mining, invasive commercial forestry, and untamed infrastructure expansion.
The Grasslands biome represents one of nine terrestrial biomes across South Africa. The expanse covers nearly thirty percent of the national land surface. Less than three percent of this biome enjoys formal statutory protection. This lack leaves alpine and high-altitude grassland ecosystems particularly vulnerable to degradation.
Strategic Water Source Areas represent high-rainfall mountain catchments that supply disproportionate volumes of runoff to national river systems. The Eastern Cape Drakensberg catchment forms a primary source feeding the Kraai and Orange River systems.
For domestic adventure travelers, hikers, and off-road explorers, the new park elevates the southern Drakensberg corridor between Rhodes, Barkly East, and Maclear into a premier eco-tourism destination.
Visitors gain structured access to alpine fly-fishing routes along the Bell River, high-altitude hiking trails, and classic mountain passes including Naude's Nek, which reaches elevations above 2,500 meters.
For rural communities and agricultural producers, the stewardship framework allows commercial sheep and cattle farming to continue alongside guided ecotourism. This dual approach supports local hospitality employment in Rhodes and surrounding hamlets.
Regional water security receives critical legal reinforcement. Highland catchment protection preserves clean downstream water flow for agricultural irrigation and municipal distribution networks across the Eastern Cape and Free State.
* How effectively will SANParks and participating private landowners balance working agricultural grazing schedules with strict habitat preservation for endangered highland bird species?
* Will the provincial and national transport departments commit capital funding to upgrade gravel access routes and mountain passes connecting Barkly East, Rhodes, and Maclear?
* What dedicated resources will be deployed to eliminate invasive black wattle and alien vegetation that threaten alpine water runoff across the upper catchment?