South Africa’s 22nd national park is to be established in the area surrounding Graaff-Reinet, Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk announced on Tuesday.
”This has been made possible by the exceptional generosity of the WWF in South Africa, which has donated the 14 500ha Karoo Nature Reserve to be the centrepiece of the project,” he said.
The donated land is estimated to be worth R23-million.
Van Schalkwyk said a public consultation process will be held to determine a name for the new park.
A department official said the process is expected to be completed within the next year.
Long-term plans for the new national park include linking it with the Mountain Zebra National Park outside Cradock and with the Karoo National Park outside Beaufort West, creating a 120km-long strip under conservation. — Sapa