75th year celebrations
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 and 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 and 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.
Enquiries:
Riaan Aucamp
Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Cell: 083 778 9923
Megan Bradfield
Addo Elephant National Park
Cell: 083 650 8649
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
15 August 2006
