05 September 2012

The Department of Environmental Affairs will host the 5^th People and Parks Conference at Ilanga Estate, in Bloemfontein, Free State from the 05 – 07 September 2012. The Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi, will officially open the conference on Thursday, 06 September 2012 at 08h30.

The People's and Parks conference was inspired by the World Parks Congress which emphasized the need to consider communities as key stakeholders in parks management under the theme: “Benefits Beyond Boundaries”.  The 7th Meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP7) in 2004 on the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted a Programme of Work on Protected Areas. The Programme of Work consisted of four (4) elements; the second element focuses on governance, participation, equity and benefit-sharing for communities. The emphasis is on full and effective participation by communities, in full respect of their rights and recognition of their responsibilities.

In implementing the resolutions of the World Parks Congress, the first People and Parks Conference was held in Swadini Aventura, Mpumalanga Province in 2004. One of the resolutions reached at Swadini Conference was to involve communities living in and around protected areas in the management of these areas. The purpose thereof was to engender economic development in communities and make a significant contribution in reducing unemployment and alleviate poverty.

Although Co-Management Agreements are being signed with parks authorities and beginning to make a positive impact, the slow pace of processing land claims in protected areas is delaying the realisation of benefits and participation of many communities in protected areas management. This is emerging as the biggest concern to the DEA, communities and park authorities.

The conference will also deliberate on the issue of resolving land claims and outline the areas of co-operation between government and communities in an attempt to resolve claims that are within protected areas.

The media is invited to attend and the details are as follows:

Date: 05 – 07 September 2012
Venue: Ilanga Estate, Bloemfontein, Free State province
Time: 17h00

To RSVP contact

Gaopalelwe Moroane
Tel: 012-395 1770
E-mail: gmoroane@environment.gov.za

Madimetja Mogotlane
Tel: 012 395 1770
E-mail: mmogotlane@environment.gov.za

Moses Rannditsheni
Tel: 012 310 3901
Cell: 082 448 2450
E-mail: mrannditsheni@environment.gov.za

For media queries contact

Peter Mbelengwa
Cell: 082 611 8197

Albi Modise
Cell: 083 490 2871