Golden Gate Highlands National Park Park Management Plan
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Golden Gate Highlands National Park Park Management Plan For the period 2020 - 2029 1 Acknowledgement This plan was prepared by Mr André Spies, with significant input and help from Dr Hugo Bezuidenhout, Dr Nicola Bredenkamp, Mr Chrispen Chauke,Dr Corli- Wigley Coetzee, Mr Nicholas Cole, Mr Ernest Daemane, Mr Ben van Eeden, Dr Sam Ferreira, Mr Mzwandile Fihla, Mr Peter Gordon, Dr Stephen Holness, Mr Mzabalazo Khoza, Mr Mashudu Matika, Me Kristal Maze, Mr Thulani Mdlalose, Mr Sipho Mkhwanazi, Dr Nkabeng Mzileni, Me Elizabeth Mhlongo, Mr Dhiraj Nariandas, Mr Reuben Ngwenya, Mr Happy Nhlangwini, Mr Victor Mokoena, Mr Walter Mzimba, Mr Shalen Naidoo, Mr Robin Peterson, Dr Abel Ramoelo, Mr André Riley, Mr Tuba Sikhosana, Me Chenay Simms, Mr Hendrik Sithole, Mr Joep Stevens, Me Tercia Strydom, Me Louise Swemmer, Mr Mswazi Tshabalala and various stakeholders. Suggested citation: SANParks, 2020. Golden Gate Highlands National Park Management Plan. SANParks. Pretoria. Cover page photograph by: Mr J. Stevens Golden Gate Highlands National Park Management Plan 2020 – 2029 2 Section 1: Authorisation This management plan is hereby internally accepted and authorised as required for managing the Golden Gate Highlands National Park (GGHNP) in terms of Sections 39, 40 and 41 of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act No. 57 of 2003 (NEM: PAA). Mr P. Gordon Park Manager: Golden Gate Highlands National Park Date: 01 July 2020 T PLAN N Mr R. Ngwenya Date: 01 July 2020 General Manager: Northern Cluster MANAGEME – Mr P. Mokoena Date: 01 July 2020 Managing Executive: Parks Mr F.G. Mketeni Chief Executive: SANParks Date: 08 October 2020 Ms J. Yawitch GOLDEN GATE HIGHLANDS NATIONAL PARK PARK NATIONALGOLDEN GATE HIGHLANDS Chair: SANParks Board Date: 12 October 2020 Approved by the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Ms B.D. Creecy, MP Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Date: 17 December 2020 Golden Gate Highlands National Park Management Plan 2020 – 2029 3 Table of contents No. Index Page Invitation to comment 2 1 Section 1: Authorisation 3 Authorisation 3 Table of contents 4 Glossary 8 Acronyms and abbreviations 10 Lists of figures and tables 12 Executive summary 13 Introduction 14 2 Section 2: Legal status 16 2.1 Name of the area 16 2.2 Location 16 2.3 History of establishment 16 2.4 Contractual agreements 17 2.5 Co-management agreements 17 2.6 Total area 17 2.7 Highest point 17 2.8 Municipal areas in which the park falls 17 2.9 Land claims 17 2.10 International, national and provincial listings 17 2.11 Environmental authorisations 18 2.12 Biophysical description 18 2.12.1 Climate 18 2.12.2 Topography 19 2.12.3 Geology, geomorphology and soil 19 2.12.4 Freshwater ecosystems 20 2.12.5 Flora 20 2.12.6 Fauna 21 2.13 Archaeology and cultural heritage 22 2.14 Socio-economic context 23 2.15 Tourism 23 3 Section 3: Policy framework 26 3.1 Introduction 26 3.2 Strategic adaptive management 27 3.3 Park specific framework 29 3.4 Park regulations and internal rules 29 3.5 Support to the park 29 4 Section 4: Consultation 30 5 Section 5: Purpose and vision 32 5.1 Purpose of the park 32 5.2 Desired state of the park 32 5.2.1 Vision and mission 32 5.2.2 SANParks strategic plan 33 5.2.3 SANParks corporate vision of the desired state 33 5.2.4 Operating principles 33 5.2.5 Park context 34 5.2.6 Vital attributes 34 5.2.7 Determinants and risks to the vital attributes 34 Golden Gate Highlands National Park Management Plan 2020 – 2029 4 No. Index Page 5.2.8 High-level objectives 38 5.2.9 Unpacking the high-level objectives 39 6 Section 6: Zoning 44 6.1 Introduction 44 6.2 Synopsis of updates to the 2008 zonation 44 6.3 Guiding principles underpinning the Conservation Development Framework 44 6.4 Rationale for use zones 45 6.5 The zoning system 45 6.5.1 The zoning process and its linkage to the underlying environmental analysis 46 6.6 Overview of the use zones 49 6.6.1 Remote 49 6.6.2 Primitive zone 50 6.6.3 Quiet 52 6.6.4 Low intensity leisure zone 53 6.6.5 High intensity leisure zone 54 6.7 Overview of the special management overlays 56 T PLAN 6.8 Park buffer zone 56 N 6.8.1 Priority natural areas 56 6.8.2 Water resource protection areas 57 6.8.3 View shed protection 58 6.9 Future improvements 58 MANAGEME 7 Section 7: Access and facilities 60 – 7.1 Public access and control 60 7.2 Areas with restricted access 60 7.3 Airfields and flight corridors 60 7.4 Administration and other facilities 61 7.5 Visitor facilities 62 7.6 Commercial activities 63 7.6.1 Accommodation 63 7.6.2 Public private partnerships 63 7.6.3 Retail and other facilities 63 7.6.4 Activities 64 7.7 Cultural heritage sites 64 7.8 Community use 64 7.9 Mining 6 7.10 Servitudes 65 8 Section 8: Consolidation and expansion strategy 66 9 Section 9: Concept development plan 68 9.1 Long term development plan 68 9.2 Development nodes 68 GOLDEN GATE HIGHLANDS NATIONAL PARK PARK NATIONALGOLDEN GATE HIGHLANDS 9.3 Communication routes 68 9.4 Service supply routes 68 9.5 Infrastructure development proposals 68 9.5.1 Administration and other facilities 68 9.5.2 Visitor facilities 68 9.5.3 Commercial facilities and activities 69 9.5.3.1 Accommodation 69 9.5.3.2 Public private partnerships 69 9.5.3.3 Retail and other facilities 69 9.5.3.4 Activities 70 9.5.4 Cultural heritage sites 70 10 Section 10: Strategic plan 72 10 .1 Introduction 72 10.2 Regional integration 73 10.2.1 Park expansion programme 73 10.2.2 MDTFCA programme 74 Golden Gate Highlands National Park Management Plan 2020 – 2029 5 No. Index Page 10.2.3 Co-operative management programme 75 10.3 Biodiversity conservation 76 10.3.1 Herbivory programme 77 10.3.2 Invasive alien species programme 78 10.3.3 Species of special concern programme 83 10.3.4 Aquatic biodiversity programme 84 10.3.5 Fire management programme 86 10.4 Water in the landscape programme 87 10.5 Responsible Tourism programme 89 10.6 Cultural heritage management programme 95 10.7 Stakeholder engagement 97 10.7.1 Stakeholder relations programme 97 10.8 Access and benefit 100 10.8.1 Natural resource use programme 100 10.8.2 Environmental education and awareness programme 102 10.8.3 Socio-economic transformation programme 104 10.9 Effective park management 107 10.9.1 Environmental management programme 107 10.9.2 Risk management programme 109 10.9.3 Financial management and administration programme 110 10.9.4 Human capital management programme 112 10.9.5 Information and records management programme 114 10.9.6 Infrastructure programme 115 10.9.7 Safety and security programme 118 10.9.8 Safety, health, environment and quality programme 120 10.9.9 Communication programme 121 10.9.10 Disaster management programme 123 10.9.11 Climate change programme 124 10.9.12 Outcomes programme 126 10.10 Evaluation and learning 127 10.10.1 Introduction 127 10.10.2 Operationalisation 128 11 Section 11: Costing 130 11.1 Introduction 130 11.2 Income 130 11.3 Expenditure 131 11.3.1 Once-off costs 131 11.3.2 Recurring costs 131 11.3.3 Unallocated fixed costs 132 11.3.4 Maintenance 133 11.3.5 Replacement of minor assets 133 11.4 Summary 133 11.5 Implications 133 11.6 Future 134 References 136 Appendix 1: Declarations 142 Appendix 2: Stakeholder participation report 146 Golden Gate Highlands National Park Management Plan 2020 – 2029 6 No. Index Page Appendix 3: Product development framework 148 Appendix 4: Internal rules 156 Appendix 5: Maps 158 T PLAN N MANAGEME – PARK NATIONALGOLDEN GATE HIGHLANDS Golden Gate Highlands National Park Management Plan 2020 – 2029 7 Glossary Means an airborne craft of any type whatsoever, whether self- Aircraft propelled or not, and includes hovercraft and drones. Any significant long-term change in the expected pattern of Climate change temperature, precipitation, wind and/or other measures of climate adaptation in a particular region, as a result of changes in the earth’s atmosphere. Anticipating the negative effects of climate change (e.g. uncertain rainfall, increased temperatures) and taking appropriate action to Climate change reduce vulnbrability, i.e. preventing or minimising the damage of mitigation predicted change, or taking advantage of opportunities that may arise. An area which has been declared as National Park through the Minister and which contributes to the objectives of a National Park, but of which SANParks is not the land owner. Contractual Contractual park National Park agreements and/or co-management agreements are signed, and SANParks may be assigned to be part of a joint management authority through a range of possible institutional arrangements. The park desired state is based on a collectively developed vision and set of objectives of the desired future conditions (that Desired state are necessarily varying, across the full V-STEEP range) that stakeholders desire. Interpretation is the communication of information about, or the explanation of, the nature, origin, and purpose of historical, Interpretation natural, or cultural resources, objects, sites and phenomena using personal or non-personal methods. Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events. Used to refer to MICE all function types available.